


Sunshine Tales

by wordsofink



Series: solangelo one-shots [8]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Anniversaries, Anxiety, Arranged Marriage AU, Awkwardness, Baking, Big family, Brooklyn Bridge, College AU, Complete, Cookies, Cute, Dates, Depression, Depressive Thoughts, Domestic Fluff, Engagement, Farmer!Will, Flirting, Flower Shops, Fluff, Greek!Will, Halloween, High School, Jason's nephew, Kidnapping AU, Laundromats, M/M, Med Student!Will, Minor Character Death, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Neighbors AU, Neko!Nico, New York, Online Friends, Picnics, Pirate!Percy, Pranking, Prince!Will, S'mores, Soulmate AU, Soulmates, Statue of Liberty - Freeform, Studying, Superhero!Will, Tattoos, Tired!Will, Treasure Hunting, Vampire AU, Vampire!Nico, Vampire!Will, angel!will, assistant!will, book editor!nico, breaking into houses, buff!nico, character death - temporary, city boy!nico, devil!nico, fair maiden! nico, fake relationships, friends to boyfriends, hunter! will, latin is hard, mafia boss!nico, medic!will, meeting up, mention of car accidents, mention of drunk driving, merman!will, nico with long hair, online friends au, penpals, pirate!Nico, pirate!annabeth, pirate!reyna, prince!Nico, proposal au of sorts, pumpkin patches, rain storms, references to cheating (past), secret admirers, sleeping, solangelo, sort of a snow white au, supernatural hunter!nico, talk of cows, talk of heavy topics, teacher!Nico, teacher!Will, teacher!au, wedding proposals, will/original character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 11:25:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 120,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14999897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsofink/pseuds/wordsofink
Summary: tags/warnings will be added as writing continues1: hair - nico has long hair2: new chapters - pt. 2 of jason's nephew3: flirting with the devil - devil! nico and tired!will4: cutest couple - will's got a crush on his neighbor5: meet and greet - online/teacher au6: re-introduction - chapt. 5 pt. 27: misunderstandings - dating is complicated8: what if - tangent9: finding home - nico just wants his sister back (tw)10: fairest - snow white of sorts11: building bridges - italian nico and greek will in new york12: fairytale ending - nico falls in love with a prince13: treasure - nico falls for a merman14: mobster medic - nico needs a medic15: summer job - city boy meets the country16: understanding - college au (tw)17: cat-napped - nico has cat ears18: bloody amazing - vampire love19: pick me - arranged marriage au20: jason's fault - secret admirers21: safe and sound - angel will (tw?)22: actually - proposal au sort of23: proud - high school au24: step by step - penpal au25: snapshots (6) - fluff*characters are not mine unless otherwise stated*





	1. hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico has long hair. Will loves it.

It hadn’t been Nico’s plan to grow his hair out. It’d just kind of happened. He blames both the Aphrodite cabin and Will, though Nico secretly loves when Will compliments his hair.

When his hair reached his shoulders, neglected after fighting two wars and being stuck in a casino for seventy years, Nico had gone to the Aphrodite cabin to get it cut. He trusted them with his hair as it was only hair. If they decided to give him a bad haircut, it’d just grow back for a second or third or fiftieth chance.

“You have really nice hair,” Piper says. “I mean, once you wash it and everything.”

Nico just shrugs. What he had hoped would be a quick cut had turned into something more like a salon appointment. Piper and her siblings had rinsed, lathered, and dried his hair. Piper’s little sister Val kept a list of everything they were using. For ‘future appointments’, Drew said.

“Why can’t you just cut it off?” Nico asks.

“Because, sweetie, your hair is pretty. And after this, I expect you to wash it at least every other day. Shampoo and conditioner.” Nico groans. He should have asked Percy or Jason to just buzz his hair. But Piper’s fingers running through his hair felt kind of nice. Even if he hated the sound of the hairdryer so close to his ears.

“I think we should just trim it up. Surprisingly, you don’t have a lot of split ends,” Piper says. Drew seems to agree with her as Nico realizes that they aren’t doing what he had told them to do when he walked in. They seemed to be styling his hair now, using brushes and combs and some sticky spray.

“How’s that, sweetie?” Drew asks when they’re done. Nico takes a deep breath before looking at his reflection. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, some drastic change. Instead, he looked mostly like himself, just with longer hair.

“Fine,” he says, not wanting to encourage them to mess with his hair more than he’d already allowed. Both Piper and Drew grin.

“It’s okay to say you love it.” She pauses. “If you do, the haircut is free.”

Nico grits his teeth, tossing each girl a drachma. He walks away before they can demand more. In all honesty, his head does feel lighter. He’d gotten so used to just pulling his hair back that he hadn’t really considered doing anything else with it.

He feels a little self-conscious as he walks into the dining pavilion. With his doctor’s note, he sits at the Apollo table. Slowly, he realizes that everyone is looking at him. For a moment, he thinks it’s because he’s somehow sat at the wrong table. Or maybe it’s because he smells like perfume and shampoo. He wants to curse the Aphrodite cabin.

“Hey, Neeks,” Will says. He kisses Nico’s head, pulling back a moment later. “You got your hair done,” he adds.

Nico tucks some of his hair behind his ear. “Do you like it?”

Will grins, running his fingers through Nico’s hair. “I love it. I had no idea it was wavy.” Nico just shrugs, but he really likes the feeling of Will running his fingers through his hair. Will twirls a strand around his finger, kissing Nico’s cheek. “I love it, I love it,” he whispers.

Nico feels his face heat up, and he’s glad that his hair covers most of his blush.

From then on, Nico just kept growing his hair out. Will seemed to like it, and he kept learning new ways for Nico to wear his hair. While Nico wasn’t quite into all of the complicated braids and whatnot that Will was learning, he absolutely melted under Will’s gentle touch. So he let Will do his hair whenever he wanted. He let Will wash his hair, brush his hair.

“I think you just love my hair,” Nico says one morning when he wakes up to Will braiding a strand of it. Will gives him that glorious smile.

“I love your hair. But I love you more.” Nico allows one kiss before he’s shooing Will off to brush his teeth. Nico gets up, stretching, feeling his hair hit low on his back. It’s slightly wavy, curled just a bit at the ends. Almost immediately, Will starts running the brush through it gently, working out the few tangles.

“I learned this new braid yesterday,” Will says. Nico had learned a while ago that Will asked everyone who came into the infirmary for hair tips, and that he could be caught looking through hair magazines in the Aphrodite cabin. “It might help to keep your hair out of the way when you’re fighting.”

That had been Will’s main goal. They’d tried many things, but either it was too uncomfortable, too tight, or too bulky. But Will never stopped trying.

Which is how they ended up in the infirmary, Nico sitting between Will’s legs as he tried out the new braid. Nico was cutting bandages as Will did so, trying to be somewhat productive. Austin comes in, rolling his eyes.

“Seriously, Will? Another braid? I needed those bandages half an hour ago.”

“They’re almost done,” Nico says, feeling Will move his head slightly to adjust the angle. Will was serious about his braiding. He was also serious about Nico’s hair care, making sure that Nico properly washed his hair and that it wasn’t too heavy for his neck.

“Here, Will. Let me finish the braid,” Kayla says. “Your shift started fifteen minutes ago.” She moves behind Nico to take the strands from Will. Nico hears Will huff.

“No, I’m almost done,” he says.

“Will, you’re halfway done. At this rate, it’ll take you another twenty minutes.” She pauses. “You know, it doesn’t have to be perfect, right?”

Will huffs again. “Yes, it does. I mean, I can’t just do a sloppy job.”“It’s not sloppy. Just a little bump, really,” Austin says. He’s standing in front of Nico, counting the bandages. He looks up at Nico, shrugging.

“He’s protective,” Nico says. Will refused to let anyone else do anything with Nico’s hair. They were allowed to touch it if Nico let them, but any hair care and hair styling were to be done by Will or an Aphrodite professional. It was basically an unwritten rule at this point, and Will cursed whoever disobeyed with a day of couplets.

“Don’t I know,” Kayla grumbles, hands on her hips. “If you’re not out there in twenty minutes, Will, you’re on morning duty for the next week.”

Will groans behind Nico. “That’s not fair at all. You two are just jealous that I have a beautiful boyfriend who lets me do his hair.” Austin finishes counting the bandages.

“Don’t forget about checking up on that Ares girl. She’s itching to be dismissed today.” Nico assumes Will nods because both Kayla and Austin leave.

“I don’t mind if other people do my hair,” Nico says, but he’s smiling. He doesn’t mind when other people touch his hair, but it’s different with Will. With Will, it feels almost like kissing sometimes. Intimate but also kind of mundane.

Will finishes the braid in a hurry before spinning Nico around and kissing him hard on the mouth. “Maybe not,” Will says. “But you love when I do your hair.”

Nico laughs as Will kisses down his neck. “Of course, sunshine. I love all of your ridiculous braids and accessories. What would I do without you?”

“Have mediocre hair, honestly,” Will says. Nico laughs again, pulling Will in for a kiss. They’ve only been kissing for moments when Austin walks in.

“Okay, that’s it! You’re on duty, Will. So help me!” He throws the clipboard at Will who merely deflects it. It clatters to the floor as Austin leaves again. “If you’re not out here in five minutes, I’m braiding Nico’s hair later!”

That gets Will up. He plants one last kiss to Nico’s lips before exiting the room. “Don’t you dare!” Nico rolls his eyes as the infirmary becomes a chaos of bickering. He runs his fingers through the loose pieces of his hair, smiling. He wonders what Will would do if he were to get an undercut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> check out this wonderful illustration by faesimbrotos: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15578001


	2. new chapters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason needs help proposing to Piper.
> 
> This is a part 2 of Jason's nephew, but it can probably be read separately.
> 
> Part 1: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14658081/chapters/34573580

Nico groans as he hears his front door open. He knows he should really steal back his house key from Jason. Especially on a morning like this when all he wants to do is roll over and bury his face in Will’s shoulder. Because, yes, Will slept over last night. Even though all they did was sleep (and talk and eat way too much popcorn), it was still one of the best nights of Nico’s life.

And he’s not about to have Jason put an early end to it.

“Nico!” Jason yelps, appearing in the doorway. “Are you wearing pants? Please tell me you are.” Nico doesn’t give him an answer, just flips him off and rolls over.

Will’s sleeping on his side, so Nico wants to take a moment or two to appreciate the gloriousness of Will’s freckled back. He runs his fingers across the freckles, like a child playing connect-the-dots. He feels Will shift, smiling when Will grins sleepily at him. This is what he’s been waiting a month to see - Will sleep-induced smile. It brings out his dimples and blue eyes, and his curls are haphazardly tumbling onto Nico’s pillow.

Nico leans in for a kiss, ignoring the morning breath for the time being. Will’s so cuddly and warm when sleepy. He buries his face in Nico’s shoulder, humming as he kisses along Nico’s collarbones. Even after a month, Will’s kisses still make Nico blush.

“Nic?” Will asks, yawning. “Why is Jason in the room?”

Nico pecks Will’s cheek before turning over with a dramatic groan. “Yes, Jason, why are you in the room?”

Jason shrinks just a bit but he perks up as Will also moves to look at him. “Right, well, I need to propose to Piper. Because she threatened to propose to me next week if I didn’t come up with something. And I really can’t let her down.”

Will groans at this information, wrapping his arms around Nico and pulling the blankets up. “You should have proposed ages ago. And then I could have enjoyed my morning,” Will whines. His voice is muffled by Nico’s shoulder, but Jason understands.

“Yeah, I know. But I didn’t. So I could really use some help. And, unfortunately, you two are my only options.”

“Well,” Nico says, “if Google failed you, I’m not sure we can be much help.” Jason huffs at this.

“But you two know Piper second best to me. Please? I’m begging.” He clasps his hands together, widening his eyes. Nico used to think that Jason had to the most successful puppy-dog eyes he’d ever seen, but that was before he met Will. He’s thinking that puppy-dog eyes must run in their family or something.

With a great sigh, Will extracts himself from around Nico, looking at Jason. “You have one hour. Please wait in the living room,” he says. He makes a shooing motion. “And close the door behind you.”

“Also, please set our house key on the kitchen counter!” Nico calls. He hears Jason curse before the door closes.

“Well, so much for the morning,” Will grumbles. Nico kisses his pouting lips, laughing. He’s not usually in this good of a mood in the morning, but there’s something about Will’s sun-kissed face and the soft lighting of his room that just makes him smile. He’s almost in a good enough mood to help Jason out.

“I’ll make breakfast,” Nico says. “We can still have our pancakes.” Will brightens at this. Slowly, they tumble out of bed, pulling on shirts and socks. They are, despite whatever Jason thinks, wearing pants. While Nico might have accepted a marriage proposal on the first date, Will’s a bit more traditional and wants to wait a little longer.

“Have you thought of anything yet?” Nico asks when they exit the bedroom. Jason’s sitting on their couch, flipping through one of Will’s boring books. The downside of having a nerdy boyfriend was that he sometimes read textbooks for fun and then left them at your place.

“Well, I was thinking I’d get a ring. And take her out to eat. But not propose to her in the restaurant. Somewhere more private. But I don’t know where. And I haven’t gotten a ring.”

Will pours orange juice for the three of them, plopping down on the couch. “Well, you should probably take her to that Mexican place she adores. The one with the mariachi band?” he suggests. “And then maybe go to the place you first met or your first date. Or your special places?” He raises his eyebrows at Jason, waiting for him to jump in.

“Right. We don’t have many special places. I mean, Piper usually chooses the locations, and I kind of just fill in activities.” He pauses. “I guess I could propose to her at our place. That’s special, right? We bought it together and all.”

Nico sighs. Jason was too formal and logical to be swept up in the romantics. Maybe they should just let Piper propose and save Jason the trouble of planning. At least, they’d plan the wedding together. “There’s got to be some romantic or special spot, Jace,” Nico says. “Like your first kiss or where you first made love or met her.”

“Um, that all took place at my parent’s place. Except the meeting. We met at school.” Will groans, throwing back the last sips of his orange juice. Nico comes over to pat his shoulder.

“You made love to her at your parent’s house?” Will asks. “That’s so weird.”

Jason pouts. “Well, unlike you two, Piper and I have been together for five years. It’s not like we had a place to ourselves then.” Nico makes a face.

“If you’re talking about us, we haven’t done more than make out everywhere,” Nico says. Will blushes at this when Jason gives him a look.

“Honestly, I’m surprised. That first night, you two seemed like rabbits.” Will flushes deeper, coughing. Nico returns to the kitchen to make the pancakes.

“I'll have you know I was a perfect gentleman. All I did was take Nico home and kiss him goodnight.” Nico vaguely remembers that happening. He’d been more drunk than he’d thought. “How about a scenic walk?” Will suggests.

Jason shrugs. “Where?” At this, Will grabs Nico’s laptop, typing in the password and clicking on the Internet. He quickly Googles some things, showing them to Jason. “I don’t know if she’d like this, though,” he says. He scrolls through a few more things, Will pointing things out.

“You’ve had years, Jason,” Will says. “Haven’t you thought of something?” There’s a pause. “Do you want to marry Piper?”

“Of course,” Jason cries. “I mean, she’s the most amazing person in the world. I just don’t want to mess this up, you know? How would you propose to Nico?”

Nico can see Will blush at this. “I would take him to a nice restaurant. Maybe go to a museum or go for a scenic bike ride. And then I’d propose by that tree at my parent’s house.” Jason’s surprised, but it’s nothing compared to what Nico feels.

He knows the significance of the tree. It’s the same tree that Will’s parents got engaged under, the same one his brother proposed to his girlfriend under. It’s the tree that Will broke his leg falling out of, and it’s the only one that survived the horrible ice storm ten years ago. In other words, in the words of a romantic like Will, it symbolizes everything about love. The hardships and the triumphs. A love that continues to grow.

Nico’s tearing up just thinking about it.

“Wow,” is all Jason can think of saying. Then, “This is why I came to you.”

Will just sighs. He seems to have forgotten that Nico’s just behind him, making breakfast. “Look, you’ve got a week. Just scope out some spots. Maybe take some subtle hints. I know she’s been dropping hints like bombs for the past year.”

Jason grumbles, and Nico brings the plate of pancakes over. They all eat on the couch, using napkins for plates and licking the chocolate from their fingers. Jason and Will get into some heated debate about which hand sanitizer smells the best, the apple pie or the cinnamon one.

“They smell the same,” Jason says. “They’re literally cinnamon scented. Apple pie is just a fancy term for warm cinnamon.”

Will shakes his head, swallowing his last pancake. “No. Apple pie means that it’s cinnamon-scented apples. That’s the difference. And why it smells better than just the plain cinnamon. Have you ever sniffed cinnamon? Because I have, and it smells similar to apple pie but not exactly alike.”

Nico just rolls his eyes. He has no idea how he got himself into this mess, but he doesn’t regret it one bit.  
-  
Nico does kind of regret agreeing to go ring shopping with Jason. It’s just that Jason’s a bit of a perfectionist in everything that he does. So he has to find the perfect ring, even if that means going to three stores in four hours and looking at every single thing they have to offer. Including their magazines and what can be custom-made.

“This is so much work,” Nico grumbles. “I mean, an engagement ring is nice. But I think the real ring is the wedding band, right?”

“Oh my gosh. I haven’t even thought of that,” Jason says. He looks almost panicked now. “Nico, why did I think I could do this? Planning a proposal. How am I going to plan a wedding?”

“You’ll have Piper to help you with that part,” Nico says, wishing he had some Advil or something to take. “And she’s been helping you with the proposal. If only you’d listened to her hints.”

“Well, I’m sorry not everyone knows how they want to propose after a month of dating,” Jason huffs. Nico rolls his eyes before remembering what Will had said two days ago. He had known right when Jason asked. He sounded so sure, so certain that Nico can almost imagine that they’ve been dating for two years and Will was going to propose any minute now.

“Yeah,” he says quietly.

Jason pauses, looking at Nico. “You okay? Will’s just like that, good at planning everything out in advance. He doesn’t mean it. Well, I mean, he does mean it. But not right now. Like, he’ll make sure you two are both ready and whatnot.”

Nico nods. He wonders if Will knows already because that’s how he’d propose to anyone. But he also has a feeling that he was talking specifically about Nico. And if he was, did that mean he loves Nico? Even after a month of dating?

“I just, I didn’t know he cared so much,” Nico says.

Jason nods. “Will loves easily, but he doesn’t fall in love easily. And he’s definitely in love with you. Seriously, that first night, I don’t think I got any sleep after he dropped you off.” Nico smiles. He kind of understands. He’s never fallen for someone so quickly either. Usually, at this point, his relationships would be losing the honeymoon effect, would be slowly descending into chaos. He would be running out of things to say, things to do.

But with Will, he didn’t feel like he had to always keep the conversation going or plan somewhere to be. Will loved him just as much sitting in front of the TV as he did on a romantic date.

“Oh gods,” Nico whispers. “I’m falling in love.”

Jason grins at him. “Yeah, bro. You are.” Nico punches Jason’s shoulder for that. “Aren’t you glad I set you two up?” Nico ignores that, turning to look at more engagement rings. Honestly, he’s hoping that Will will go ring shopping (if he ever proposes) because after today, he never wants to look at a ring again.

“Okay. I upheld my end of the deal. It’s your turn,” Nico says, grabbing Jason’s arm and hauling him out of the store.

“Wait. But I haven’t picked out a ring!”

In the end, it’s Will who has the perfect rings for Jason. Again, Nico’s surprised by how thoughtful Will can be.

“They’re pretty simple, really,” Will’s saying. “But they can be inscribed with whatever. And they can double as wedding bands so you won’t have to torture Nico again.”

Nico sends Will a thumbs up.

“I mean, they are wedding bands, so I guess they can double as engagement rings,” Will amends. Jason’s turning the rings over. They’re rose-gold and simple, and they look like the thousands of other wedding bands Nico saw while Jason dragged him around.

“Wow,” Jason says slowly. Nico can tell he’s not quite convinced that this is the ring that’ll get Piper to say yes. (Even though they all know Piper’s going to say even if Jason messes this whole thing up.)

“I think it’d match her eyes nicely,” Will says, still going. The more he continues to talk, the more Jason’s face lights up.

“These are perfect,” he says throwing his arms around Will. Will grins, sending Nico a thumbs up. “And I think I have the perfect plan now.” He hugs Nico again before leaving.

They both sigh, flopping on the couch.  
-  
Jason’s kept all of his proposal plans secret, not wanting to second-guess himself, he says. To celebrate the occasion, Nico and Will are having a movie marathon. They’ve popped about three bags of microwaveable popcorn and have water and soda bottles littered on the table. They’re both in their pjs, and Nico’s dragged out only the softest blankets for them to snuggle into.

“Did you really mean what you said last week?” Nico asks. The movie’s starting, but he has a feeling that they won’t be watching too many movies tonight. (Either because they’ll get distracted or because they’ll fall asleep.) “About the proposal?”

Will turns to look at him. “Yeah. I mean, in the future. Obviously, not right now, of course.” He fumbles to extract his arm from where it’s under a blanket. He cups Nico’s face with one hand, probably smearing popcorn butter on Nico’s cheek. Nico doesn’t care.

“Well, yeah,” Nico says softly.

“But I think you’re the one,” Will says. “If that alone doesn’t scare you off.” He laughs nervously.

“It scares me a little but only because I feel the same way,” Nico says slowly. He places his hand over Will’s, leaning into the touch. He feels so cheesy and cliché right now, but he supposes the classics are the classics for a reason.

Will leans over to press a kiss to Nico’s hand before moving to his forehead. He maps out Nico’s face with kisses, humming softly as he goes. Nico tangles his fingers behind Will’s neck, pulling him closer. He doesn’t think he can ever get enough of Will’s soft kisses. Will always seems to kiss him like it’s his last time, soft and gentle but passionate.

“We should move the popcorn,” Nico whispers as Will shifts closer. He hears Will laugh as Will moves the bowl to the coffee table. Then Will’s in Nico’s lap, his weight pressing wonderfully into Nico’s. Nico giggles as Will trails kisses down his shirt-covered chest. He’s always been ticklish, and this is no exception.

He hooks his fingers at the hem of Will’s shirt, tugging it over his head when Will nods. They’re shirtless in minutes, taking their time. Nico has yet to map out all of Will’s freckles, to kiss every one of them. It looks like they poured them over Will’s head, sprinkling them over his shoulders. His stomach only has a few, and Nico kisses all of them when he can.

“How far do you want to go tonight?” Will whispers, nipping at Nico’s neck. Nico gasps before answering.

“Can we see where it goes?” he asks. Will nods, groaning softly as Nico latches onto the sensitive spot behind Will’s ear, just above his jaw. His forehead gently presses into Nico’s chest. They’ve never been hurried with their making out, probably due to the fact that they never do it in public.

They’re both okay with PDA, but they’re both slightly possessive of each other. They aren’t on display for the world to see, and that’s okay.

Nico massages Will’s hips with his thumbs as Will kisses down his sternum. Will’s knee is bent slightly between Nico’s legs, and Nico feels a jolt of arousal when Will moves. He’s felt it before, but before, they knew to stop. Now, they have the whole night.

Or so they think. Nico’s just about to suggest moving to the bedroom when Will’s phone starts to ring. Will curses into Nico’s chest before grabbing his phone off of the table. Nico’s mentally making a new rule that phones must be on vibrate when they’re making out.

“This better be good,” Will answers, propping himself up. Nico whines at the loss of contact, and Will lays back down. Nico plays with his hair as Will listens to whoever is on the other end of the phone. Then Will puts it on speaker.

“You guys are the absolute best!” Piper screams into the phone. “Absolute best. I can’t believe you taught Jason to be so romantic.” And then she launches into the details of how Jason arranged a short hike, complete with memories strewn along the way. And at the top, he proposed. “And I love the rings. They’re so beautiful. Seriously, amazing. I owe you guys!”

“Glad to hear it,” Will says. “Really super happy for you. But you kind of interrupted.” Piper’s silent for a moment. Nico can almost see her smirking.

“Well, I’ll let you guys get back to it. Don’t forget about protection! Jason and I stashed some underneath Nico’s sink.” Will hangs up at that as Nico groans, hitting his head against the armrest.

“Well,” Will says. Nico laughs, rolling his eyes. “Trust them to have their romantic moment and interrupt ours. But I’m happy for them.”  
Nico nods. He’s glad that Jason’s finally going to get married to Piper, that they’re starting a new chapter. He’s also starting a new chapter in a way.

“Maybe we should just watch the movie,” Nico suggests. “I’m sure Jason will be calling soon.”

Will laughs, but he sits up, pulling the blankets around them. And, sure enough, Jason calls exactly twenty-six minutes later.


	3. flirting with the devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will accidentally summons the devil. And he's really hot.

Will stares dejectedly at the study guide before him. He was supposed to know all of this information a week ago and just be reviewing it. Instead, he was still trying to wrap his mind around all of the words he still had yet to memorize. He’d been at the library so often this week that the librarian started taking pity on him and just reserved him a working space for the entire week.

So Will determined to learn his Latin before the test on Monday. The only problem was that it was Friday night, and he was exhausted. The two pizza slices he’d eaten three hours ago weren’t holding him and neither were the four cups of coffee he’s downed since getting here.

He’s considering slamming his head on the table, wondering if maybe there’s something he’s missing. He doesn’t understand why it’s so hard. He learned Spanish in high school, could speak it almost fluently now. But, Latin? Latin was like a language from Hell. No offense.

The only reason he’d taken Latin was that he'd thought it’d be of help in his medical studies. Too bad he could list five symptoms for almost anything and he couldn’t even remember the Latin word for farmer. (Seriously, his entire test was basically about a farmer taking care of his animals. Will could tell the entire story in Spanish already. Why did he feel the need to take Latin?)

As a break, and hopefully, to jog his memory, he gets up to take a walk through the stacks. The library’s pretty much his second home because he’s always here for research or to visit the cafe that’s next to it. So he knows his way around the stacks pretty well. But he swears he’s never seen this shelf of ancient books before.

(He’s pretty sure it’s because he’s never wanted to.)

He lifts some off the shelf, wondering if he gives himself a break, it’ll be easier to study later. He flips through some of the books. He can’t read a single word, but the pictures are pretty. He grabs some, bringing them over to his desk. He’s pretty much the only one still at the library. Everyone else has better things to do with their Friday nights. Things like parties or sleep.

The next book he picks up looks vaguely like it’s written in Latin. Will pushes his glasses up his nose, holding the book way too close to his face. He reads the words aloud, knowing that pronunciation is important. Even if Latin isn’t a spoken language anymore.

It’s when he gets to the last word that something goes wrong. Or maybe it’s right. Will honestly has no idea what he just read out loud, but he’s pretty sure he’s just summoned some portal into Hell. Well, that seems fitting.

“You need something, kid?” comes a voice. Will almost screams when he looks up to see a boy sitting on the desk in front of him. “Because I don’t have all day, you know. Lots of people want a piece of me these days.” He grumbles, picking at his fingernails.

“Who are you?” Will asks. It’s such a cliché thing to ask, but it seems entirely relevant.“Please,” the boy scoffs. “Like you don’t know who I am. You just summoned me. From the pits of Hell.” Will blinks, his tired mind not comprehending. “The Eternal sauna. The fiery pits. Some say it’s actually freezing down there. I couldn’t honestly tell you what it’s like down there. Your mind would explode. Literally.”

Will shivers. “Right, um, you’re the Devil??”

“And give the boy a cookie,” the Devil says. “That’s my formal name. You can call me Nico. It’s what I’m going by right now.” He pauses. “So do you need something or not?”

Will glances around the room, wondering if anyone else is witnessing this. But, of course, it’s just him and a Devil from Hell. He’s really starting to hate Latin.

“It was kind of an accident,” Will says. “I was just trying to study some Latin. And you appeared. Sorry.” He’s not sure how you apologize to a demon.

“Latin, huh? Pretty hardcore stuff, honestly. If not entirely stupid in today’s world. I mean, unless you like translating coins and fancy phrases on marble buildings.” Will blinks again. He’s having a hard time believing that this is really the Devil. He looks almost like a normal human boy.

He’s even got on Converse and a rock band T-shirt from some band Will’s only heard of. Not to mention he’s kind of hot. (Will can’t believe he’s just thought that.)

“So, sorry for summoning you, but I should really go back to studying. I’ve got a test on Monday.” (Not to mention he needs to stop hallucinating.)

“I can help you,” Nico says. “I speak perfect Latin. Comes with being around for so long. Seriously, I’m so glad we have so many different languages now. Latin was getting so old. I’m thinking of taking up Italian, actually. So next time you summon me, you’ll be reading Italian. I think it has a better ring to it.”

Will can only nod. He decides he’ll just try to study while Nico’s sitting there. Only, Nico doesn’t just sit there. He gets up and sits on Will’s desk. He’s just a few inches away, and he’s smirking. Will opens up his book, swallowing. He’s not sure he should really be crushing on the guy who literally controls demons.

“Farmer stuff, huh?” Nico says, leaning over Will’s book. His long hair brushes over Will’s fingertips, and Will resists the urge to run his fingers through it. Nico smells surprisingly nice for someone who’s literally being burned alive 24/7. “Lame. I thought they’d have upgraded these things by now. No one cares about farmers and their horses. Try talking about a businessman who just realized he was having an affair with his secretary.”

Will makes a face. He’d much rather read about farmers. “I’m trying to study,” he says as nicely as he can. He doesn’t want to insult and then be sentenced to Hell.

“We’re never going to get through it like this,” Nico says. He grabs the book from Will’s hands, reading aloud. “Now repeat.” He corrects Will’s awful pronunciation, continuing on.

Will definitely thinks he’s hallucinating. There’s no way that there’s a boy this pretty who can read perfect Latin who wants to tutor him. And there’s no way that that pretty boy is basically the teenage version of the Devil. Literally.

“Now listen up. This stuff is important, sunshine,” he says, snapping Will back to the task at hand. “The farmer has three pigs. Translate.” Will grabs his pencil, trying to think of all of the right words. He has no idea what he’s doing. He should have dropped the class the minute he got his first test grade back.

All the while, Nico keeps insulting him. Or is he flirting? Will’s so tired he can’t even decide. Nico’s taken to calling him sunshine now. Or pretty boy.

“Hey, pretty boy, eyes up here,” he calls when Will’s eyelids start drooping. “Nap time is later.” He’s sitting beside Will now, leaning so close Will can feel Nico’s muscles. He wonders how one gains muscle Down There. Because whatever it is, Nico’s seriously ripped. Lean and ripped. Just Will’s type.

“You’ve got a really nice lap, too,” Nico says at one point. “But I said that nap time was later.” He walks his fingers up Will’s arm while Will’s trying to translate one stupid sentence about chickens. Or maybe it’s horses. The words aren’t even similar, but his mind is everywhere.

“You know, I used to know this kid who had blue eyes. Nice kid, until he came to live with me. I never get pretty boys like you.” He pokes Will’s cheek. “Especially ones with nice eyes and freckles. Lots of sun. That’s something I could offer. Like a beachside resort. Only the beach is more like rocks. And the water is more like fire.” He shrugs, tapping Will’s workbook.

“I’m trying,” Will says. He’s never felt so pressured to learn Latin. But he’s somewhat hoping that he’ll find the dismissing phrase. Although, he will miss the sight of Nico leaning over the desk to grab a pencil. Or the way that Nico runs his fingers over Will’s arm to try and relax him. (It doesn’t work. Both because he’s a demon and he’s so pretty.)

It’s about one in the morning before Will successfully translates all ten sentences Nico gives him. Nico kisses his cheek, and Will almost faints.

“I think we’re done for the night,” Nico says. He winks at Will. “Unless you’ve got other plans.” He runs his hand down Will’s leg.  
Will’s still dazed from the kiss.

“I see.” Nico gets up, rips the page from the ancient book that holds his summoning spell, tucking it into Will’s backpack. “Just in case, you know. Although, I’m seriously considering that Italian switch. Much prettier. I bet you could make the language sing.” He pats Will’s cheek, swaying his hips a little. Will can’t do more than wave.

“Until next time, sunshine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi :) so I clearly don't know Latin or understand it, so this is kind of short and a little thrown together
> 
> also, I don't quite know all that's happening with the Internet in the next week or so, so I'm going to try and get all of my prompts up before Sunday so that everything's posted and can be read should something be taken down or taken away. (seriously, if someone could help me understand what's happening, that'd be great. I understand it's mostly in Europe, but it still affects more than just Europeans, I think.)
> 
> So, I've got one more prompt that I'm going to post as soon as I can :)
> 
> I've been trying to get a chaptered fic out, so we'll see if that happens.
> 
> I hope all of you are doing well. If not, I'm sending hugs and smiles. (Of course, you can still take them even if you're doing well. :))


	4. cutest couple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's got a crush on his neighbor. Good thing his neighbor has a crush on him.

Will’s not sure what to think of his neighbor except that he’s got more than a tiny crush on him. He has since he saw Nico standing in the hallway doing some kind of stretches that looked almost impossible for someone of his size. Because while Nico wasn’t huge, he was muscular and toned and everything Will wasn’t. Including into one-night stands.

Or, at least, Will thinks they’re one-night stands. Maybe Will’s only imagining the muffled moans and the occasional creaking of the bed against his bedroom wall. On one hand, he’s not alone in his appreciation of Nico’s body. On the other, there’s no way he’s going to be able to attract Nico’s attention.

Because the guys Nico brings over are seriously out of Will’s league. Just like Nico. So Will contents himself with living next door to Nico and seeing him in the hall or around campus sometimes. He can admire from afar, and that’s mostly okay.

“Dude, when are you going to make a move?” Cecil asks. “Seriously, I think you’re drooling this time. Just go over and knock on his door. Talk to him. That’s how you start a relationship.”

Will grumbles, throwing a pillow at Cecil. He’d said those words to him just a week ago when he was urging Cecil to talk to Lou Ellen, a girl his roommate had a crush on.

“I can’t just knock on his door,” Will says. “He probably doesn’t even know I exist.”

Cecil grins. “Well, maybe you should go stand out in the hall and give out medical diagnoses or something. I don’t know why he does that stretching in the hall. It’s kind of weird.”

Will shrugs. He doesn’t care. It makes him blush like crazy, but he’s sure Nico has no idea who he is. Even though Will knows what Nico’s favorite food is (spaghetti and meatballs from the diner down the street), his favorite color (blue even though he wears an awful lot of black), what his laugh sounds like (a symphony, Will thinks), and that Nico’s way too good looking to even consider Will a one-night stand.

“I don’t know what to do,” Will says. “I don’t want to look like a freshman, you know.” Cecil laughs at this. They’re both juniors now, deep into their studies. Will’s pre-med, so he’s swamped with homework and research and studying. (And watching for Nico.) He has no idea what Nico’s studying.

“Well, you sound more like an eighth-grader who’s experiencing their first crush,” Cecil says. He opens a bag of pretzels and offers one to Will. Will grabs a handful, and Cecil snatches the bag away. “Seriously, just talk to him.” He pauses. “How about this. I’ll talk to Lou Ellen, and you talk to Nico. Deadline is Friday.”

Will groans. Friday was four days away. There was no way he’d work up the guts to talk to Nico by then.

“And you have to speak first. It doesn’t count if he says hi and you say hi back.”

“But I can say hi, right?” Will asks. “I don’t have to also say ‘how are you doing’?” Cecil nods. Will takes a deep breath.

“Got it? And we have to tell each other when we do it and what was said, okay? By Friday night.”

“Fine,” Will says. “But yours is easier. You have a class with Lou Ellen. I don’t even know what classes Nico has.”

Cecil shrugs. “Google it. Someone that pretty is bound to be on the Internet.”  
-  
Nico’s pretty sure Jason’s absolutely done with him right now. Because they’re standing behind a bush like some cliché movie set. Nico’s got his eyes trained on a blond head that’s walking across campus. He smiles when he sees Will stop to look at the garden that’s been planted outside the science building.

He likes a guy who likes flowers. Nico thinks he could combust. Jason looks ready, too.

“Tell me again why we’re standing in a bush, Nico. Because last time I checked, acting natural did not mean ducking and running for cover. It meant 'keep walking'.” Nico shrugs. Jason had said something about Will Solace walking down the sidewalk, and Nico had reacted. He didn’t care if people had stared at them for a few seconds. Weirder things had happened on this campus.

“Because he’s so cute,” Nico whispers. “He’s so cute, and he probably doesn’t even know I exist.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to know you existed if I knew I was being stalked behind bushes,” Jason says. He moves around Nico, heading back for the sidewalk. Jason was one of the few people - and Will - that Nico knew who actually used the sidewalk. Most people just cut through the grass.

“I’m not stalking him,” Nico says. “I’m just trying to get to know him.”

“Or you could talk to him, you know. He speaks. You’ve heard him talk.” Nico smiles at the memory. Will had been standing in the hallway on his phone, talking to his mom. And his voice was so comforting and warm. Nico had almost fallen asleep standing at the door.

“Or I could not,” Nico says. Honestly, he’s awful at talking to cute boys.

“You talk to boys all the time. Example: that guy who you slept with last night. Or the guy before him. Or the guy before him.” Nico rolls his eyes. Yes, he’s a bit of a flirt, but Will’s different. The other guys don’t make him melt just because they smiled.

Nico’s googled Will. The only stuff that pops up is Will’s academic successes for the most part. All A’s. Honors clubs and societies. There’s one article, though, that shows Will holding a baby that he delivered. The article is about how Will had pulled over on the side of the road to help this couple. And then ended up delivering their baby when he realized that was the emergency.

Honestly, someone that good is way out of Nico’s league. He thinks of three people on a daily basis. Him, Jason, and Will. He’s not selfish or self-centered, but he probably wouldn’t have stopped for a pregnant couple. He’d have been too freaked out.

“Either you talk to him, or I’m not paying for Netflix this month,” Jason says. It’s a weak threat because Nico has to the money to pay for it (and they share the account), but Nico’s also kind of frugal.

“I hate you,” Nico says, but there’s no venom.  
-  
Will waits until Thursday night when he knows that Cecil has a night class. He doesn’t want Cecil to witness his attempt to talk to Nico. But he has less than twenty-four hours to talk to Nico. And Cecil’s already talked to Lou Ellen. (He’d complimented her backpack, and she’d smiled at him.)

So Will’s standing outside of Nico’s door, trying to figure out how to knock. He hopes Nico’s roommate isn’t home. He doesn’t want to have to come up with another excuse, though he could use the same one he’s already come up with. That he needs some eggs. (He’d been thinking sugar, but he wasn’t sure if that was too forward.)

“Hey, do you need something?” Will startles, turning around. He sees Nico coming down the hall with two pizzas balancing on his arm. “That’s my door you’re standing in front of.”

“Right,” Will says, backing up. Nico hands him the key, and Will fumbles for a moment before he gets the door open. “I, um.”

“Come in,” Nico says. He beckons Will in, dropping the pizzas on the counter. Nico’s apartment looks exactly like Will’s, minus the furniture and the decorations. The layout is the same. “You want some pizza?” Nico looks so casual there, just opening the pizza box and getting plates, like he does this regularly. Will realizes he probably does it regularly. (Both the pizza and having random guys in his apartment.)

Will accepts the plate before he realizes that he’s going to have to go through another attempt. Because Nico talked first. Nico’s already gone through one slice. He’s leaning against the counter, wiping his mouth with a napkin. They’re almost the same height, but Nico fills in more space.

“I ran out of toilet paper,” Will says. His cheeks redden almost immediately, and he wants to take that back. He knows for a fact that they still have six rolls underneath the sink.

“Uh, I think we have some extra rolls,” Nico says. He holds up a finger as he heads towards the bathroom. He comes back with two rolls. “Is this enough to last you? You know the bookstore has extra rolls.” Will didn’t know that.

“It’s closed,” he says. Nico nods. “Oh, and I’m Will. Your neighbor.”

Nico smiles, and Will’s knees almost give out. “I’m Nico. Jason’s out with his girlfriend. Thursdays are their date nights.”

Will nods. “Um, thanks for the toilet paper. And the pizza. I should probably stop bothering you.” And then he practically flees from the room.

He closes his door behind him, flopping down on the couch. He should have stayed. Or at least see if he could have stayed. They could have eaten pizza and talked all night. Instead, he’d asked for toilet paper. He buries his face in a pillow, wanting to just kind of disappear. How is he supposed to talk to Nico now?  
-  
“So you invited him in for pizza?” Jason asks.

“Kind of,” Nico says. His brain had just kind of gone into autopilot. He didn’t know what to do when he saw Will standing outside his door. Like Will knew he existed.

“Did you talk to him?”

“Kind of,” Nico says again. The whole thing had been kind of weird. He honestly hadn’t been expecting Will to ask for toilet paper, but he supposes that’s a normal thing that neighbors do. Although, he’s never really had neighbors that he could borrow stuff from. “He kind of ran out after I gave him the toilet paper.”

Jason opens his mouth for a moment. “What were you doing with the toilet paper? You weren’t going to TP anything, right?”

Nico rolls his eyes. “No, he said he’d run out.” Jason nods. “But then he ran out. And I haven’t seen him since.” He even got up early so he might be able to run into Will when he went to class, but he missed him. (It’s probably because he fell asleep on the couch.)

“Well, that’s progress, I guess,” Jason says. “You talked to him. Now you just have to talk to him again.” Nico groans. Why were cute boys so hard to talk to? He hopes he seemed at least somewhat collected last night. He’d been freaking out inside, hoping Will even liked pizza and didn’t already have some cute boyfriend or girlfriend. (Social media wasn’t much help.)

“Well, I tried,” Nico says. “No canceling Netflix.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “A deal is a deal.” He’s about to say something else when there’s a knock on their door. Nico almost misses it, it’s so quiet.

He’s surprised when he sees Will standing there, a plate of cookies being thrust towards him. “Um, hi. I made cookies. Chocolate chip. I hope you aren’t allergic to anything, but I wasn’t sure,” Will says. He takes a deep breath, his cheeks pink. Nico thinks it’s adorable.

“Oh, thanks,” Nico says. “I love cookies.” He’s not sure what else to say. Should he invite Will in? Should he just kiss him? Can he eat a cookie right now? He can smell them, and they’re definitely fresh. In fact, the whole hall smells like cookies right now.

“Here,” Will says. He pushes them into Nico’s chest a bit, their hands brushing. Nico grips the plate.

“You want to come in?” Nico asks. “There’s some leftover pizza from last night. And we have Netflix.” Now his mouth is running, too, and he almost adds that they’re now out of toilet paper.

“Just for a little bit,” Will says. “My roommate’s dragging me somewhere tonight.”

Nico nods, setting the cookies on the coffee table. Jason snatches one immediately. Nico grabs one, too, not sure what else to say. He’d kind of planned on talking to Will outside of his room, building up to this. Because all he wants to do whenever he sees Will blush is kiss him.

“You want to kiss me?” Will asks slowly. Did Nico just say all of that out loud? He glances at Jason who looks both surprised and amused.

“I do,” Nico says just as slowly. Neither of them moves. Nico’s still got part of a cookie in his mouth. He quickly chews and swallows.

“For goodness sake,” Jason cries. “Just kiss.” He shoves Nico forward, and Will reaches out to catch him. It’d be almost movie-perfect if Jason weren’t standing behind him, watching them. “Kiss!” Jason practically yells.

Nico listens. He pushes his face towards Will’s, almost laughing when Will gasps. Will’s so absolutely perfect that he’s actually kind of bad at kissing. But Nico’s sure he can fix that. Nico leads, moving Will’s hands to his shoulders, sighing when Will’s hands move into his hair. He hears a door shut and hopes Jason left.

Will tastes like chocolate.  
-  
Will can’t believe what’s happening. He’s being pressed into Nico’s couch, Nico’s hands in his hair, Nico’s lips on his. He can’t think straight, and he definitely doesn’t want to. All he can think about is Nico’s lips, slightly chapped, his muscles flexing against Will’s stomach, these little gasps that he thinks are him.

“Wait,” Will breathes out when Nico’s hands slip from his hair. He’s not sure how far Nico wants to go, but he knows how far Nico’s gone before. And he’s never gone there. “Wait,” he says again. Nico stills above him, brushing back his hair.

“You’re adorable,” he whispers. “I can’t believe I waited this long to kiss you.” Will giggles, so lost in Nico’s eyes to make coherent sentences.

“Date?” Will asks. “Us? I pay.”

Nico nuzzles his nose against Will’s, smiling. “I’d love that.” And then he’s surging forward to kiss Will again like he can’t get enough of Will’s lips. They have to stop eventually when Will’s lips get sore and swollen and Nico’s weight is getting to be a bit much. Will has to catch his breath.

They smile at each other, and Will thinks he’s on some Hallmark movie that his sister loves to watch. Will’s jaw hurts from smiling so much. The whole moment is ruined by Cecil banging on the door.

“Put your clothes on, Will, I’m coming in,” he shouts. Even though he has to wait for Nico to open the door. “Hey, Nico. Is Will here?” He’s grinning like he knows what happened, and Will’s sure he can tell just by looking at them.

“Roommate?” Nico asks. Will nods.

“Name’s Cecil. Don’t forget it either. Because if you break his heart, you’ll be answering to me.” Will stifles his laughter. It’s almost funny that Cecil’s threatening Nico. Physically, it looks like Nico could crush Cecil in a heartbeat. “Anyway, I’m here to collect Will.”

“Thanks for the cookies,” Nico says. “Are you free Saturday?”

Cecil looks like his eyes are going to pop out. “Yeah,” Will says. “Pick me up?” Nico smiles, kissing his cheek. Cecil has to drag Will from the room.

Cecil doesn’t freak out until they’re in his car and heading somewhere. “I can’t believe you two just made out. Seriously, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have knocked.” Will shoots Cecil a dirty look. “I’m serious. I was just joking when I knocked. I thought it might speed things up.”

“Well, thanks,” Will huffs. He crosses his arms. “You interrupted a perfect moment.” Cecil coos.

“You’ll have plenty of other moments, you know. You two live next door. Which, by the way, my room is off limits. And no sex on the couch. And warn me if clothes are coming off. We’ve been friends long enough mostly because I’ve never seen you naked.”

Will rolls his eyes. “Where are we going anyway?”

Cecil pauses. “Well, uh, I was going to take you to the club.” Will sighs. “But since you already got the man, let’s go celebrate. Pancakes on me.”  
-  
Nico isn’t sure how word’s spread so quickly or why other people are interested in his newfound relationship, but they are. He’s already been stopped three times to be told how cute he and Will are together. Or how adorable. Or how perfect. Honestly, he agrees, but he doesn’t need other people telling him.

“It’s my turn to pick a date,” Nico says, pecking Will’s lips. He’s been having a hard time not kissing Will every time he looks at him. It’s mostly because Will blushes so perfectly every time they kiss, and he always tastes like sugar somehow.

“Yeah?” Will asks.

Nico hums. “I was thinking that we could stay in this time.” He’s a little unsure of the idea. He doesn’t want to pressure Will, and he doesn’t want Will to think that he’s planning on them having sex. With Will, he’s willing to wait. “Watch a movie. Make popcorn. Maybe you can show me how to bake those delicious cookies I love so much. You’re going to make me fat.”

Will laughs, and Nico’s breath catches a little. “You’re far from fat, Nico. If anyone’s going to get fat, it’s me.” He pokes his stomach, rolling his eyes. Nico loves Will’s softness. He wonders if that’s what’s been wrong with all of the other guys he’s tried to date or hook up with. They’re all too muscular or bony. It’s almost impossible to cuddle with them. But Nico could cuddle with Will for hours.

“I think that sounds fun. And we could order take-out or a pizza,” Nico says. Will smiles, so that’s what they do. Nico orders the pizza while Will gets the cookie ingredients. Like cheesy couples, they feed each other pizza while sitting on Nico’s balcony. One group of girls stops to wave to them.

“You know them?” Will asks. Nico shakes his head. They laugh. He has no idea why people are so invested in their lives. “Someone stopped me the other day to ask if we’d kissed yet.”

“What’d you say?” Nico asks.

“Many times.” Will blushes, knocking his forehead gently against Nico’s shoulder. Once the pizza’s finished, they start on the cookies. Nico pulls out aprons that Jason’s girlfriend gifted to them though they hardly cook. He gives Will the one that reads ‘kiss the cook’, and he does so.

“We’re not going to get anything done if we just kiss,” Will teases. Nico almost doesn’t care. But Will’s cookies are like a second heaven. Will shows him how to measure out the flour, the baking soda, the sugar. Nico almost drops the eggshell into the dough, and Will sends him to wash his hands.

“And then we mix in the dry and wet ingredients,” Will says once everything is measured out. He hands the spoon to Nico, complimenting Nico on his muscles. Nico laughs. He’s had many compliments on his muscles, but none of them feel as good as Will’s.

“And then chocolate chips. Lots of them.” He smiles, tasting the cookie dough. “Yummy.” Nico kisses him.

They spoon out the cookie dough, lining them up in careful rows so that they don’t melt into each other. And then they’re putting them in the oven, setting the timer. “Eight minutes,” Will says, smiling.

“Perfect time for cuddling,” Nico says. He grins at Will, wrapping his arms around Will’s waist. He loves the feeling of Will against him, the warmth, the softness. He loves the way he can feel Will’s laughter. It’s only been a week, and he’s pretty sure he’s head over heels.

They fall into a cycle of making cookies and kissing. Eating cookies and kissing. The movie sits forgotten on the coffee table, but they do make popcorn. They try to throw it into each other’s mouths. Which is what they’re doing when Jason gets home.

“You two are a seriously cute couple,” Jason says as he walks in. “But the amount of PDA is pretty much obscene.” Nico knows he’s mostly joking. He and Will only kiss, hands above the waist. He guesses they can get pretty into it if the small hickey on Will’s neck is any indication. Nico doesn’t even remember doing that.

“We made cookies,” Will says.

“Good. Better make more if you two are going to continue. I think this is the fifteenth time I’ve walked in on you two. And it’s been seven days.” Nico merely shrugs. Jason never said anything when Nico had one-night stands. He can’t say anything when he has an actual boyfriend. (A very cute, lovable, adorable boyfriend.)

“He’s irresistible,” Nico says. Will flushes.

“Keep it in your pants. And maybe in your room,” Jason says.

Nico grins, lifting Will up easily in his arms, bridal style. “We’ll see about that.” Nico hears Jason groan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got one more prompt that I will hopefully get to before legal stuff happens. I still don't quite understand what will be shut down and what will just be limited/filtered.


	5. meet and greet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico and Will hate each other in real life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DS - Will
> 
> GK - Nico

It wasn’t a secret that they didn’t like each other. Everyone knew it: the other teachers, the students, the staff. Their rivalry was basically legendary, but no one knew what had started it. If you asked Mr. Solace, he’d say it had something to do with Mr. di Angelo’s motorcycle, his awful manners, and the way that he went around like he owned the world. If you asked Mr. di Angelo, he’d say it was the shiny car, the plate of cookies in the teacher’s lounge every Monday, that stupid smile.

“What kind of teacher drives a motorcycle to school?” Will Solace asks. “I mean, it’s just so unnecessary. Maybe it’s cheaper, but what kind of message does that send to the kids?” He’s huffing because today Nico di Angelo decided to write his name on every single item of Will’s food in the shared fridge in the teacher’s lounge. He’d crossed out Will’s name and written his over it.

No one touched the food, but it was the idea that Nico had done it. He’d also stolen Will’s plate that he brought his homemade cookies in on every Monday. It had been a gift from his mom, and he wanted it back. Only, Nico swore he didn’t have it, that Will could check his house if he wanted to.

“He’s setting a bad example,” Will says to Principal McLean. “They’re all going to grow up to be delinquents.”

“Well, I trust that you’ll correct this behavior in your class,” she says. She holds out her fingers. “Do you think it’s too pink?” She grins as she says it, knowing that it bugs Will to no end. They both know that Piper loves the color, and they both know that she doesn’t care for Will’s opinion on her nails. And they both know that she doesn’t care for Will’s ranting about Nico.

“He’s-“ Will starts only to be cut off.

“We’re all adults here, Mr. Solace. So I suggest you take it up with Mr. di Angelo. Or you could let it go. You two have been teaching here for five years. I think that’s plenty of time to let differences slide. Maybe then you could see that you’re equally helpful in benefiting the student’s education.” She waves him away with a flick of her pink nails. Nico’s waiting for his turn. Will can hear Piper sigh.

He knows he’s being a bit grumpy, a little overdramatic, but something about Nico bugs him. He thinks back to the first day they met. They’d both been new to the school that year, so Will had been carrying his stuff in to set up his classroom. He’s walking towards the building when he sees a man in a leather jacket, also carrying some boxes. The man opens the door, and then closes it on Will’s face.

“Hey, you could have left it open!” Will calls.

“Didn’t see you,” the man calls back. He turns a little so Will can see that he’s also wearing sunglasses like he’s some cool biker.

“The school’s not open to visitors today,” Will calls. “It’s a teacher workday.”

“Good thing I’m a teacher.” Will could swear that Nico winked then, if only he hadn’t been wearing sunglasses. Fortunately, since they were in different departments, their classrooms were not near each other. Nico continues on down the hall while Will takes the stairs.

He quickly sets to sticking his posters on the walls, cleaning up his desk. He arranges his office supplies, feeling almost giddy that the first day of school is just a week away. He’s excited to meet his students, excited to get to know them, to watch them graduate. He’s only taught for two years prior to this, but he’s a good teacher.

“Don’t forget your kitty poster,” a man says. Will turns to see the man from earlier standing in his doorway. “‘Hang in there’, right?”

“This is a science classroom,” Will says. “What are you doing here?”

“Nico di Angelo, English teacher,” he says. “But I’m also qualified to teach Italian.” He does wink this time, not extending his hand for Will to shake.

“Will Solace. I specialize in biology, but I’m qualified to teach general science and chemistry as well.” He knows it’s not as impressive as knowing a second language. Unless two years of high school Spanish counts for anything.

“Impressive,” Nico says. “You know, if you put up any more posters, you probably won’t have to teach.” And then he turns on his heel and leaves. Will glances around his room. He quite likes his posters. He doesn’t think there are too many. Besides, he wants his students to be able to learn from their surroundings and not just him. Education isn’t just a teacher standing at the front of the room.

The first day of school was just as Will expected. His students were bored of icebreakers and ready to just go home. He’d prepared a fun experiment to get them excited for his class each day, and he’d even seen some smiles and heard laughter during his class. He took this as a good sign.

But when he’d gone to the teacher’s lounge to get his lunch, he found Nico eating it. When this was pointed out, Nico had merely shrugged, saying that Will needed to label his food or else it was fair game for anyone. He’d then eaten Will’s salad, washing it down with Will’s lemonade. Looking into the fridge, Will found all of the food labeled neatly. He reached in to take Nico’s, but Nico just shook his head.

“That’s mine, Solace. But if you’re hungry, I hear the cafeteria is serving meatball subs.” He grins as Will walks out of the room.

And five years later, Nico was still just as annoying.  
-  
Nico’s not so sure what exactly is so annoying about Will Solace. Maybe it’s his bright, sunny personality, the way he’s always raving about his students or his cat or how he just bought the best fertilizer for his plants. Maybe it was the fact that Will Solace was basically a dad living in a twenty-seven-year-old’s body.

Whatever it was, Nico had other things that were more important. Such as he hadn’t logged on in over ten hours to talk to doctor-sunshine. He’d met them over the Internet about a year ago, and honestly, Nico thought they were the only person on earth who understood things like he did.

While he didn’t know many particulars about doctor-sunshine, he did know that he was funny and kind and seemed to see the world the same way Nico did. Which was something rare. He posted photography and little quotes that he liked on his Tumblr, and this is how Nico found him.

Being an English teacher, had a fondness for quotes. He had several of his favorite quotes tacked up on the walls of his classroom, but it was hard to find someone who appreciated quotes as much as he did. (He supposes being an English teacher he should promote the use of one’s own words, but he really just likes quotes.) So he was searching and he found doctor-sunshine’s Tumblr and immediately made an account so he could follow him.

It started with photography, but now it seems like something almost akin to friendship. Nico had never really been warned about the dangers of the Internet, but he was still careful what he sent and what he posted. He wasn’t sure if any of his students followed him by coincidence, and he didn’t want to end up in any legal issues. So he kept himself anonymous under the name of ghost_king, an old childhood nickname.

DS: How was your day? Mine was pretty good. I think I finally managed to make the best BLT ever.

Nico rolls his eyes. He imagined doctor-sunshine looked something like Jason Grace, another teacher at the school he worked at. He’d be tall and athletic and handsome. He might have glasses or a slightly crooked nose. While Jason had blond hair, Nico was thinking brown. Close cut.

GK: What makes it so great? My day was good. That annoying teacher I was telling you about keeps making my life miserable.

He didn’t complain about Will much online because of legal stuff and just because it felt weird to burden doctor-sunshine with his mundane complaints.

DS: What’d he do this time?

Nico smiles. He types out his message, about how Will kept making oatmeal raisin cookies even though Nico hated oatmeal raisin. But he couldn’t say that because then he’d have to admit that he really liked Will’s cookies and was guilty of hoarding them in his desk.

DS: Oatmeal raisin cookies are amazing. Maybe if you ate one, he’d think you liked them and would make something else.

Nico hadn’t thought about that. But raisins grossed him out for some reason, and he couldn’t entertain the idea for too long.

GK: How’s your cat doing? Did she like going to the vets?

DS: She’s been glaring at me all day. I’m pretty sure she’s going to murder me in my sleep.

Nico laughs. Sometimes doctor-sunshine’s cat appeared in his photography but very rarely. Like him, doctor-sunshine was also careful about not revealing his identity. Nico almost felt like an undercover superhero when he talked to doctor-sunshine. Except for all of the ranting and the regular stuff they talked about.

GK: It was nice knowing you.

DS: haha funny

Nico closes his computer. He’s got essays to grade that won’t grade themselves. He turns on some music, not bothering with headphones since he lives alone. It’s a little lonely, but he doesn’t mind. He’s always been a solitary creature. He eats dinner on the couch, not really bothering to move to the bedroom to sleep. He doesn’t really care. Each room is now multi-purpose like he shouldn't even have this many rooms.

He opens up his computer once more before he goes to sleep.

DS: goodnight

Nico smiles, closing his eyes.  
-  
While Will loves teaching, his favorite part of the day is definitely when he chats with ghost_king. He isn’t sure who the guy is, but he’s funny and witty. And he seems to understand Will. While teaching was Will’s main passion in life, he also really loves photography. He loves spending time outside in nature, just observing the trees, the flowers, the animals. Sometimes he found cool angles of buildings to photograph.

He started his Tumblr account as a way to get a response on his photos. He was thinking of maybe selling them for extra money (teaching didn’t pay much), and he wanted to know if people were interested. But then the blog became almost like a daily devotional. He’d post one of his photos and a quote underneath it or a reflection/thought.

Some of the people who commented wanted to buy his photos. Other tried to steal his photos, so he had to learn how to watermark them and brand them. Others, like ghost_king, liked his quotes.

GK: You could be a poet. Like Dickinson or Eliot.

Will laughs at this one. He’s read both of those authors, and he doesn’t think he sound like either one of them. He’s also not that great at poetry. He’s tried it many times, but there’s a reason he’s a science teacher and not an English teacher.

DS: Thanks, but I’ll stick to photography. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.He imagines ghost_king rolling his eyes. They’ve been talking for almost two years, this delicate friendship between them. There’s an invisible line that neither of them has crossed before, but Will wants to. He desperately wants to know who ghost_king is, to meet someone that shares his interests.

Will’s not lonely, but he is alone. Since moving, he hasn’t found a roommate, and his apartment is pretty small. So he lives with his cat, Einstein. Although, he’s pretty sure his cat is crazy.

He’s almost typed out that sentence - I want to meet you - so many times, but he stops himself. He hardly knows who ghost_king is. He doesn’t know what he looks like or what he does in his free time. He knows that the guy is a teacher, but they don’t talk about their jobs too much. They already know what that’s like.

GK: That annoying guy played another prank today.

Will smiles. He thinks he’d get along great with this other guy. Maybe he could use some of these tricks on Nico. They were still in their weird rivalry. Instead of toning it down, they’d made a sort of competition of it. It was Will’s turn this week. He saran-wrapped all of Nico’s things on his desk except for his scissors. (He wasn’t mean.)

DS: What are you going to do?

GK: Googling the answer right now. Don’t tell anyone.

Will wonders what ghost_king looks like. At first, he thought maybe dark hair and pale skin, but now he wasn’t so sure. ghost_king didn’t post much online. There were just quotes and book reviews. In all honesty, ghost_king seemed like a big nerd, but Will loves that.

DS: I’d never give your secrets away.

He isn’t sure if he’s flirting or not. He wants to flirt, and he wants to be flirted with. But he’s not sure if that’s overstepping the lines that they’ve drawn. He’s already sent ghost_king a print of a photograph that he had said he loved. He wishes he could have signed it, but he knew that would have given away his identity. Maybe if they ever meet, Will can sign it then.

DS: Got any plans tonight?

GK: Just dinner for one. And grading homework. Ugh.

Will understands. He’s got a few lab reports he needs to grade as well. He knows it’s cheesy (and maybe a little weird), but he pulls out the reports and starts grading them. So it’s almost like he and ghost_king are grading together. Einstein jumps up onto the couch, nestling in the stack of ungraded reports, and Will sighs.

DS: Einstein is taking a nap on my student’s homework. Good thing no one is allergic to cats.

ghost_king doesn’t answer for a while, and Will can only assume that they’re eating dinner. He eats his own dinner, sighing as he glances around the empty apartment. He’s never really felt this lonely. He’s made friends with a lot of the teachers, but they have their own lives apart from school. And Will really doesn’t.

DS: goodnight, ghost king  
-  
Nico wants to scream. He can’t believe Will has filled his drawers with marbles. He’s not even sure why Will would have so many marbles. Or how Will comes up with these things. It’s like Will enjoys being in high school so much that he’s reverting back to being a teenager. That or he never stopped being one.

“What the heck, Solace?” Nico mumbles. For the first part of the class, he empties out his drawers while his students do a warm-up. Then he gives them all six or seven marbles to take home.

“What are these for?” a student asks. Nico just shrugs. He has no idea what he’s going to do with the marbles. He figures maybe these kids can collect them or give them away or whatever kids do these days.

“Oh, no,” comes a voice from the door. “You’ve lost your marbles!” Nico sighs before turning to Will.

“Actually, Mr. Solace, I think you lost your marbles. You seem to have left them in my desk.” Will just grins at him.

“Well, have a good class. I’m off to my planning period.” Nico ignores him, turning back to his students. He knows what they’re all thinking. They’ve been writing about it in their warm-ups. They all think Will likes Nico. Nico gives them A’s, but he doesn’t tell them that they’re wrong. Very wrong.

After five years, their hatred has turned into pranking, more subtle, less illegal, and more school-friendly. The only problem is that it seems like Will plans his pranks. Nico isn’t used to pranking people. He’s never had to. His high school days were filled with studying and drama club and writing. He didn’t have anyone to prank, and no one pranked him.

He half wonders if maybe Will had a bad high school experience, but it isn’t his business. He has students to teach. But after class, he’s going to Principal McLean and have a few words.

At his lunch break, he logs onto Tumblr, smiling when he sees that he has a message waiting for him.

DS: Good morning! How’s your day been? Mine’s been wonderful.

Nico responds back, wondering if he can finally work up the courage to ask doctor-sunshine if they can meet up in person. He’s itching to meet him, to be formally introduced. Maybe even take him for a motorcycle ride. He’d love to take doctor-sunshine on one of his weekend rides where he goes out to the countryside.

DS: Lunch break is over. TTYL!

Nico rolls his eyes. He sighs as he gets ready for his next class, a small smile on his face. His students file in, noting his smile. Some seem scared like he might give them a pop quiz. Others seem surprised to see him smiling. It’s not that Nico doesn’t smile. He just doesn’t smile a lot. He prefers to look intimidating, and he never knows when Will might strike next.

DS: If you could have the perfect dinner, what would it be?

That’s the question Nico gets home to. He almost chokes on his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He knows what his perfect dinner would be. It’d be sitting across from doctor-sunshine in an authentic Italian restaurant or McDonald’s. They’d be laughing and sipping wine (or sodas) and talking. And maybe they could share a kiss.

He doesn’t type that.  
GK: Italian food like my mom cooks. Or McDonald’s. They have the best chicken nuggets.

DS: McDonald’s is horrible for you. I’m pretty sure it gives people rabies or something. Definitely go with the Italian.

Nico pauses. Is doctor-sunshine asking him out? Does this mean he wants to meet Nico?

GK: Italian it is, then.

DS: :) How about a glass of red wine?

Nico’s hands shake as he types back.

DS: I propose a toast. *raises glass* to the best internet friend a guy could have, ghost_king!

Nico laughs as his stomach flops. Because doctor-sunshine is definitely a guy. (He’s never asked before.) And Nico’s very gay.

GK: Cheers :)

He hardly ever types smiley faces, but it fits the moment. He refuses to look away from his computer right now because it’ll ruin the moment he’s having. He can almost imagine the two of them in a restaurant right now. After the toast, doctor-sunshine would lean over and kiss Nico’s cheek or his lips. And Nico would smile and kiss him back.

DS: I had a lovely dinner. We should do this again sometime.

Nico actually screams.

GK: Definitely.

His hands are shaking as he waits for a response. There isn’t a response. He refreshes the webpage, checks his Wi-Fi connection, goes to the bathroom. No message. Did he scare him away? Did doctor-sunshine freak out? Did he read the signs wrong?

Nico’s stomach twists uncomfortably.

GK: goodnight  
-  
Will’s freaking out. He wants to meet ghost_king so bad, and it seems like they also want to meet. But he knows about stranger danger and about sharing personal information over the internet. His mom has warned him enough times that he actually freaked out when he made his Tumblr account. But now he’s in too far to back out. Right?

He feels bad for not responding, but he had to take a really long shower to calm himself down and focus. He needed to go about this the right way. He didn’t want to scare ghost_king, and he didn’t want to freak out on him. But now it’s the next day, and he’s sure ghost_king probably hates him for not responding and just going radio silent on him.

To top it all off, Nico di Angelo’s in a horrible mood today. He slammed the door to the teacher’s lounge on his way to make his morning cup of coffee. He snapped a couple of students in the hallway, and he ranted to Principal McLean for about thirty minutes while Will waited outside.

“What’s his deal today? I haven’t done anything, I swear,” Will says when it’s his turn.

Piper massages her temples. “You two are giving me grey hairs,” she says. “Pull yourselves together.” She sends him away. He can hear her long nails clicking away at her computer.

“No prank today, Solace?” Nico asks when they cross paths again at lunch.

“It’s your turn,” Will says automatically. Nico pauses before scowling. They had fallen into turns on accident, not even noticing it. But it was Nico’s turn to do something to Will. Before Will can say anything else, he opens the fridge and grabs Will’s soda, opening it.

“There,” he says. “Prank complete.”

“What’s up with you today?” Will asks. He’s pretty sure his last prank - reversing Nico’s entire room - wouldn’t be the one to tip Nico over the edge.

“I didn’t sleep last night,” Nico says, chugging Will’s soda. He burps, excusing himself. “But why do you care?”Will shrugs. He’s not sure why he cares. Other than the fact that he’s not surprisingly disappointed that Nico’s not got a prank planned for him. In fact, he almost feels a bit sorry for Nico. Because Nico seems really stressed out. “Do you want a massage? Your shoulders seem really tense.”

Nico pauses for a moment. “What?” Will freezes.

“Your shoulders look tense,” he says again.

Nico rolls his shoulders, grabbing his lunch. “They are but no massage. This isn’t the spa, you know.” He plops down on the raggedy couch, propping his feet up. Will doesn’t even tell him to put them down. He just sits beside Nico with his own lunch.

“I think you’re finally off your rocker,” Will says.  
Nico raises his eyebrows. “Oh, yeah? Better watch out, Solace. I might just snap.” His voice is lower when he says this, almost husky. Will shivers. Nico pulls away, and Will hadn’t realized he was so close. Then Nico stands up, dumps his lunch in the trash, and walks out.

“What was that about?” Mitchell asks. Will just shrugs.

When he gets home, he decides he’s going to do it. He’s given himself a pep talk in the car, so he logs onto Tumblr and types out his message. He hits send before he can even think about taking it back. Then he proceeds to freak out.  
-  
DS: Want to get a sandwich with me?

Nico’s pretty sure he’s dreaming. His heart is pounding right now, and he has to take a few deep breaths before he can type back a message.

GK: Like in person?

DS: In person. Unless you don’t want to.

Nico takes another deep breath.

GK Do we live in the same area?

DS: New York City?

GK: Yeah.

He can’t believe this.

DS: Wanna meet at the deli on fourth?

GK: Saturday at 2pm.

DS: It’s a date.

Nico thinks he’s going to combust. Saturday is only two days away. And he spends that entire time freaking out. Online, though, he acts like he’s not. After deciding on a date and time, they move back into their usual conversations about the world and whether or not people should only save the cute animals and how cute is even defined.

And then Saturday comes. And Nico’s internally flipping out. He rides his motorcycle, hoping it’ll clear his mind, but he keeps wanting to go faster. Except, he can’t because of the horrible traffic. He gets to the deli early, parking and walking in.

“Nico?” He turns around, coming face to face with Will Solace. “What are you doing here?”“In case you didn’t know, this is a deli. I’m getting a sandwich.” He moves past Will to order some chips. He’s not all that hungry with his nerves right now. He gets his carton and sits down. Will moves to the table across from him.

“Yeah, but you never come here,” Will says. “I didn’t even know you ate sandwiches.”

Nico huffs. “I eat sandwiches, Solace. And could you please leave?”

“Why?” Will asks. “Got a hot date?”

Nico wishes he didn’t flush a little, but he can feel his cheeks heating. “No, I’m just meeting someone.”

Will grins. “Well, so am I. So I’m not leaving.”

They both fall silent, Will twiddling his thumbs and reading, Nico on his phone and eating chips. At a quarter past two, he pulls out his phone, staring at the last few messages on his Tumblr.

DS: I’m nervous about tomorrow, but I can’t wait to meet you.

GK: Same here.

DS: I’ll sit at the corner table. See you then!

Nico glances over at the corner table. There’s no one there. He hadn’t looked when he’d walked in either because Will had been right there. Wait. Will had been right there. Will had been at the corner table. Nico isn’t sure what he’s feeling right now.

“Doctor sunshine?” he says quietly.

Will’s head jerks up from his book. He looks around before looking at Nico. “No,” he says. “Ghost king?”

“Guilty,” Nico says. This time he screams in his head. “Did you know?” Will shakes his head frantically.

“I had no idea. You never mentioned the motorcycle or that you taught English,” Will says.

Nico sighs. “And you never said anything about a teacher annoying you at school. Or that you were a scientist.”

“Ah ha!” Will cries. “Now you admit that I’m a scientist.”  
Nico shakes his head. “Whatever. I’m leaving now.” Disappointment. That’s what he feels.

“No, wait,” Will says standing up. “I really do want to meet you. Talking to you was always my favorite part of the day. Both online and in person. But I think that we have more in common than we thought. So, sit down, maybe?”

He cocks his head to the side like a dog, and Nico sighs. He and doctor-sunshine really did have a lot in common. And even though they’ve taught at the same school for five years, they really don’t know each other. Nico sits down.

“Not a date,” he says.

“An introduction,” Will agrees.

“Hi. I’m Nico di Angelo.” Will smiles.

“I’m Will Solace. It’s nice to meet you.” This time, they shake hands.


	6. re-introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> teacher/online au pt. 2
> 
> more pranks and akwardness
> 
> part one is the previous chapter

Nico’s pretty sure his life isn’t some rom-com or even some New York Times bestseller, but it’s sure feeling that way. Or maybe even like fan fiction - not that he’s ever read any of that, of course. But somehow, he’s ended up sitting across from Will Solace for one too many days than he’s ever wanted to.

Currently, they’re at a coffee shop. Otherwise known as neutral territory. Neither of them has talked since they both sat down, about twenty minutes ago, and Nico’s pretty sure they’re starting to annoy the barista. She keeps glancing over at them, looking like she either wants to offer them yet another drink or ask them to leave.

“So,” Will says. “You’re ghost_king.” Nico nods. They’ve been over this, but it’s still hard to believe. It gives him a weird feeling in his stomach to know that he’s got a crush on his greatest enemy. He wonders how Will feels. Not that he’ll ask or anything. (Not yet.)

“And you’re doctor-sunshine.” Will nods this time. He takes a sip from his coffee cup. It’s probably cold by now. They’ve been meeting at the coffee shop for the past two weeks trying to figure out how to navigate the awkwardness that’s come from revealing their online identities. At least, Nico thinks, Will’s taking it about as well as he is.

“I’m not sure where to go from here,” Nico says.

“Me, either. I kind of thought this whole thing would fix itself.” Nico wants to laugh at that. While it sure feels like his life is governed by some comedy club, he’s pretty sure it isn’t. “I mean, we shook hands. Gods, is this how first dates feel?”

Nico smirks. “You’ve never been on a first date?”

Will huffs. “Well, I kind of have. But it was a little different. I have actual friends, you know.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “How could I forget about Einstein? And all of your online buddies that I’m sure you also meet up with.”

Will crosses his arms. It makes him look like a child. “Despite what you may think, I don’t have a lot of online friends. You’re my first.”

“You still haven’t answered why you haven’t ever been on a first date,” Nico says. If he’s being honest, he’s curious. Because Will’s definitely not bad looking. It’s weird to think that he’s never been on a date before. Someone must have asked him out in high school or college. Or was Will just some kind of weird hermit?

“Fine. When I was in high school, I had this crush on a girl, right? But she didn’t really like me all that much, so when I asked her out, she told me she’d pick me up around seven.” Will pauses, a slight blush on his cheeks. “Only, she didn’t specify where she was going to pick me up, and I was too excited to ask. So she told everyone I stood her up, and that ruined my chances of dating anyone after that.”

“Harsh,” Nico says. Will nods. “But what about college?”

“Too busy studying and working. It’s not like teaching pays an awful lot. And, at first, I kind of thought I wanted to be a photographer. And then I had to scramble to get my teacher licensure and my degree so I wouldn’t have to pay for extra classes.”

“I didn’t really want to be a teacher,” Nico says. “But there’s only so much you can do when you love to read and don’t really feel like writing a whole lot.” Will snorts at this.

“But what about all of the papers?”

Nico shrugs. “I can write. I just don’t exactly enjoy it. So reviews, editorials, journalism, they were all out. Teaching wasn’t. And I needed my parents off my back. They’re basically instant successes in their fields, so it was hard for them to understand needing time think about what I wanted.”

Will nods. “My parents wouldn’t have cared too much if I spent an extra year or so in college. But it’s expensive, and I was paying half of it.” Nico understands. His parents were paying his tuition, but that didn’t mean he didn’t see the bill every semester.

“Of course, it isn’t like being a teacher is all that great compared to what they do. But it’s a job. And it pays some money.”

Will laughs. “Very stingy money. I always feel like I’m robbing the tooth fairy or something when I get my paycheck.” Nico rolls his eyes. “See, we’re talking now. How great is that?”

Silence falls again as they realize this. Nico’s not sure if it’s because they want to hate each other or because they just don’t know how to acknowledge that they’re making progress. They’re both too stubborn for their own good, honestly.

“Does this mean no more pranks?” Will asks after a minute. They’re at some weird sort of stalemate. They both have moves, but no one knows exactly how to proceed.

“I don’t know. I found them kind of fun, honestly. But we can stop if you want,” Nico says. Will shrugs.

“I liked them, too. It was a different pace from high school, you know? Because even though I knew you didn’t like me, I knew you wouldn’t hurt me.”Nico’s a little shocked at Will’s honesty. He wonders how bad high school was for him. “No. Maiming another teacher on school grounds is kind of illegal. So I steer away from that.”

Will’s eyes light up a bit. “Oh, so you’re not the bad guy everyone thinks you are, huh? Leather jacket and motorcycle are just props.”

Nico laughs. “Totally. I actually bake cookies and volunteer at the retirement home on the weekends.” Will smiles, and Nico thinks it’s nice. (He doesn’t think about how nice it is that he’s the one who made it appear.)

“What an angel.”

Nico smiles. “That’s my name.”

It takes Will a few seconds. “Oh my gosh. It is!” Nico sighs. He supposes that science is a different foreign language than Italian. But it’s not like it was cleverly disguised. “Di Angelo. I like it. Better than my last name. I swear, everyone wanted me to be a doctor when I grew up. Thought it’d be comforting or something.”

Nico shrugs. “Dr. Solace does have a nice ring to it, you know?”

Will makes a face, but his cheeks are pink. “Yes. The ring of all of my money going to the government. No way am I going to school that many years. Besides, doctor’s offices are full of sick people. And I have the worst immune system ever.”

“You spend the majority of your day with kids, though.” He wonders if Will’s the kind of guy who carries hand sanitizer with him. He hopes not.“Yeah, high school kids. They don’t sneeze and cough all over you. And they pretend to be sick just so they don’t have to come to class. Way better than elementary ages.”

Nico nods. He’d thought about that, too, when he started school. They stare at each other for a few more minutes before they decide to call it a day.

“Nice to talk with you, Mr. di Angelo,” Will says. Nico nods. Then he rushes to his car. He’s not going to admit it out loud what Will calling him that does to him. (Mush. That’s what he feels like on the inside.) Because it’s one thing to become friends with your greatest enemy. It’s another to have a crush on them.  
-  
Will sighs as he flops down on his bed. He’s not sure what to think. He wants to go to his computer and type out a message to ghost_king. Only, ghost_king is his problem. Or Nico di Angelo, more specifically. Nico with his brown eyes and messy hair. And Will has to admit that Nico looks pretty cool on his motorcycle, leather jacket and all.

They haven’t said much about their communication online, so Will’s not sure if it’s off limits or not. But he’s desperate to talk to someone, and he was definitely lying about having other friends (his family doesn’t count). Before he can talk himself out of it, Will sits down at his computer, logging in.

DS: The weirdest thing just happened to me. There’s this guy at work that I used to hate, and now I kind of don’t anymore. Any advice?

Will sits back his heart beating. He waits for a few moments. Then he checks to make sure he messaged the right person. Then he waits a few more moments. He gets up to get a glass of water. He drinks the whole thing. Refreshes the page. Nothing. He sighs.

“I think I really messed up,” he says. Einstein just looks at him. Frustrated, Will grabs a stack of homework and starts grading them. He’s sure he’s really skewed the grading scale (he promised himself he’d never grade when emotional), but he doesn’t really care at the moment. He just needs something to do because ghost_king (aka Nico) isn’t responding.

It isn’t until just before he’s going to bed that he receives a response.

GK: just be honest.

The next morning, Will gets up early to bake chocolate chip cookies. He knows it’s a stupid idea because he’s going to be exhausted the whole day, but he hopes it’ll be worth it. He vaguely remembers that chocolate chip cookies are Nico’s favorite. So by six thirty, he’s got a plate of warm and melty cookies.

His stomach is all in knots, so he drops the plate off and doesn’t turn back around. He knows Nico gets there at exactly six thirty-five every morning, so he has about two minutes to dash down the hallway and pretend that it isn’t his name on the bottom of the plate. He busies himself in setting up the lab project for his students, carefully examining each vial as he marks and places it on the table.

His stomach is still in knots when he goes down to the teacher’s lounge during lunch to get his food. He half expects his lunch to be gone, but neither Nico nor an empty fridge greets him. He grabs his lunch, glancing around.

“What’s got you all antsy?” Mitchell asks. He’s a home economics teacher, even though Will kind of thought that program was cut two years ago. “Nico’s been the same way. Something happen between you two?” Mitchell gets this grin on his face, and Will just wants to disappear.

“Nothing. Just midterms, you know? A lot of work to do.” Will shrugs, exiting the room. He’s almost home-free when Principal McLean appears.

“Mr. Solace, a word?” Will nods, carrying his salad into her office. “You’re welcome to eat that here.” She flicks a manicured nail in his direction.

“Did you need something?” Will asks. He’s not exactly sure why he’s here. He hasn’t done anything. Unless the cookies were absolutely bad. He’d forgotten to check them in his haste to leave the teacher’s lounge.

“You’ve been quiet lately. Everything okay at home? Cat good?” Will nods, slightly embarrassed that he doesn’t have a husband or boyfriend to ask about. “Family good, then?” Will nods again. “I’m just checking in. I know midterms can be stressful, but it’s no reason to worry.” She smiles.

“Everything’s good, Piper. I’m just busy, you know? Planning a big lab assignment for the final.” Piper nods. She doesn’t look convinced.

“Well, I hope that this has nothing to do with Mr. di Angelo’s weirdness today,” she says. “You two are some of my best teachers, and I need you to have your heads screwed on straight right now. And if you need to prank each other to get that done, so be it.” She gives Will a look.

“Okay, got it, miss,” Will says. He feels like he should salute or something, but Piper just dismisses him. He hurries back to his room, taking a few deep breaths. He shoves a couple pieces of lettuce into his mouth before logging onto Tumblr.

GK: When did you have time to bake cookies?

Will smiles a little.

DS: The early bird gets the worm.

GK: But the second mouse gets the cheese.

Will’s not sure what to make of that. He munches on the rest of his salad as he tries to think of something else to say. It’s harder now that he knows it’s Nico on the other end. Before, he could say anything he wanted because he knew he wasn’t being judged. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

He knows Nico had wanted to meet him before he knew it was Will. But did him being Will change everything? There were a couple of times he was sure they were flirting, but was it all a joke now? And what about the message last night? Did that mean Nico had something he needed to be honest about?

GK: Don’t fall asleep on your students. Something might blow up.

Will rolls his eyes. His students are better than that. Unless Nico changed things around for his next class. Will gets up, hurrying around to all of the tables, checking the vials. He sighs when he doesn’t find anything out of place. Sitting back down, his fingers hover over the keyboard.

DS: Better not. Einstein would not be happy.

It’s a lame response, but he’s trying.

GK: I’ve always wanted a cat.

Will’s not sure what to make of that either.

DS: Do you want to meet him?  
-  
Nico’s freaking out just a bit. Because up until now, they’ve always been somewhere neutral. School was for everyone. A coffee shop was for everyone. Will’s apartment was not for everyone. It was very much Will’s. But that’s where they were meeting up, and Nico was sure he was going to have a heart attack.

He’s double and triple checked Will’s address (Will handed him a slip of paper like a middle school crush) before knocking on the door. He hears footsteps and then a small thud before the door opens. Will’s cheeks are red, and his curls are a little out of place as he welcomes Nico inside.

“Hi,” he says. “Glass of water?” He’s already got a glass of water ready, kind of shoving it into Nico’s hands. Nico nods. “And I have cookies.”

“Is this the dark side?” Nico asks. Will looks at him blankly for a minute before laughing. (Nico refuses to acknowledge that it was a little cute.)

“Um, so Einstein is probably sleeping on my bed. I’ll just go get him.” Will nods for Nico, dashing off. Nico stands in the middle of the living room, holding his room temperature water. He takes a sip. He wonders if he should sit down. He wonders if it’d be rude to if he wasn’t asked to. He sits down.

Will appears the next second, holding a large bundle of fur. It’s white and squirming just a bit, and Nico laughs. Because the cat kind of looks like the real Einstein’s hair. Will sets the cat down without any ceremony. Nico smiles.

“Hey, kitty.” Einstein sniffs at Nico’s fingers, bumping his head against Nico’s knee. Nico scratches his ears.

“Good thing to know that he likes you better,” Will pouts. “It took four days before he let me pet him.”

“Four days? And you still got him?”

Will shrugs. “I’m very persistent. And he was the only one I wanted.” He pauses, looking at Nico and the cat. “I came into the pet shop every day. And on the fourth day, I brought him home.” Nico nods. He wonders how many cats were at that pet shop.

“Are you hungry?” Without waiting for an answer, Will gets the plate of cookies. “It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone over. Sorry if I’m not that great of a host.”

“You’re doing fine,” Nico says. He thinks about how they talk online versus how they talk here. He supposes the main difference is that only the finished product comes across online. There’s no backspace button or way to pause in real life.

“What did you mean by being honest?” Will asks suddenly. Nico jumps, and Einstein looks displeased by the movement. Nico pats his head before looking at Will.

“I don’t know. I guess it just feels strange that we got along so well online and seem to hate each other in person. Only, it’s not really hate. More like some weird competition thing, right?”

“I guess,” Will says. “I don’t know what we’re competing about, though.” Nico shrugs. At first, he thought Will just wanted to prove he was a better teacher. But they never said a mean word about each other’s jobs. All they did was try to annoy each other.

“Just for the heck of it?” Nico asks.

Will shrugs. “Maybe. I’m not that great at making friends, you know. Most people don’t really like me. So I guess I was just trying to hurry that process up. But I also kind of liked the pranking thing.”

Nico looks at him sharply. “You did?” Will nods, shrugging again. “I mean, I kind of liked it, too. I think we really just drove Piper mad.”

Will laughs, and Nico wants to make him do it again. “She’s getting worried because we aren’t pranking each other anymore,” he says. Nico nods. He’d had the same talk. He can’t tell if she’s more annoyed now than before. “So, um, should we keep pranking each other? I think the kids are missing it, too.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “This is so weird.” He laughs. “I don’t know. I told you already that I was googling my pranks.”

Will leans over to pet Einstein. “I googled some of mine, too.” He pauses. “If you want, we could do one last prank, maybe. Like a finale of sorts.”

“Finale of what? Our rivalry? Are you actually saying that our rivalry is over, Mr. Solace?” Will blushes, nodding. Nico hopes he isn’t blushing back.

“Yes, Mr. di Angelo. Next week marks the official end of our rivalry.”  
-  
Will is so nervous. He doesn’t think he’s ever been this nervous. He’s planned his final prank, and he’s charted out everything that could possibly go wrong. Which is a lot of things. The actual putting into action of his plan is simple. He’s removed every single poster on Nico’s wall and replaced them with pictures of chickens. Chickens because he wanted to. He thinks it’ll be funny.

The only hard part about this prank is that he has to wait until Nico decides to do something about it. Which could take anywhere from now to never. He also has to watch out for Nico’s prank to him, though there are still two days left for him to possibly prank Will on.

“Mr. Solace?” a student asks. “May I use the bathroom?” Will nods. He’s so tired right now. He feels almost paranoid, something he hasn’t felt since they started this prank war. He almost expects the student to have syrup or mud or something dropped on them or to suddenly find themselves with pink hair. But the student walks out just fine.

Will needs to focus on his lesson. Well, he should. Except, he’s interrupted by a loud bang. For a moment, he thinks he’s mixed the wrong chemicals together. But then he realizes that it’s the door.

“Chicken posters, really?” Nico asks.

“Well,” Will says, taking a shaky breath. “Before I chicken out.” He grabs the posters, turning them over. Slowly, they start to spell out a message. (Will wishes he’d thought this through a bit more. Because he can feel his students judging him right now.)

“Um,” Nico says. “I guess you don’t hate me.”

Will shakes his head. “Nope. So?”

Nico sighs. “This can’t actually be happening right now,” he says. Will frowns. Does Nico not like him back? He’d told Will to be honest, and now he was going to dump him before they even went on their first date. “You know, Will, you can be really annoying sometimes. Check your drawers.”

Will walks over to his desk, carefully sliding open his drawers. He expects something to jump out at him. Instead, it’s full of a bunch of wrinkly fruits. Will wrinkles up his nose.

“May I have a date?” Nico asks softly.

Will’s jaw drops open. “Are you kidding?”

Nico bursts out laughing as the students start clapping.

“I don’t really like dates, but I’ll go on one with you,” Will says. Nico rolls his eyes, shoving Will back a bit.

“You’d better,” he says. Will smiles. He really wants to kiss Nico right now. So he does. Nico laughs into his mouth, and Will wonders how it all ended up like this. He pulls back.

Principal McLean is standing in the doorway. “What the heck is going on here?”

Will kind of wants to disappear right now. And he would if Nico didn’t pull him in for another kiss. Instead, he just smiles.


	7. misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dating is complicated.

“Hey, Nico,” Jason calls. He pats the space beside him, and Nico sits down. “How’s Will doing?” Nico blushes at the name.

“He’s good. I’m helping him in the infirmary later today.” Jason nods. Nico’s not exactly sure when he and Will started dating, but he’s really happy that they are. Before, he’d been so worried about coming out and confessing to Will, being possibly rejected that he could barely form a coherent sentence around Will. He’d stutter and break eye contact, and Will would be so nice about it.Nico thinks that maybe they officially started dating when Will brought him breakfast one morning. Stuttering, Nico hadn’t known what to do when he opened up his door to find Will Solace standing there with a plate of pancakes and bacon. So he’d simply let him in. And then Will had sat down on his bed and they’d shared the stack of pancakes.

That wasn’t something friends did, right? Only special friends, boyfriends, maybe.

“Earth to Nico,” Jason says. He waves his hand in front of Nico’s face. “I asked if you were ready for capture the flag on Friday?”

Nico nods. “Yeah. I’m teaming up with the Athena cabin this time, so we’re going to take you down.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “I highly doubt that. While Athena is known for their brains, we’ve got some skill, too. Could have the Big Three on one team, but you betrayed us.”

Nico shrugs. It’s not exactly a secret to Jason that the reason he’s teaming with Athena this time is that the Apollo cabin is also teaming with them. “Well, I’m not telling you any of our plans,” he says.

“Plans like how to shadow travel Will to your cabin so you two can make out?” Nico blushes. He’s not used to everyone being so open to being gay and their intimate lives, but he doesn’t mind. If anything, it makes things a bit easier. Because he can figure out what Will likes since they haven’t actually talked about them dating.

“We haven’t exactly gone on a date yet,” Nico says slowly. Jason looks surprised at this.

“Really? What do you two do all the time you’re hanging out?”

Nico shrugs. “Play cards, cut bandages, go swimming.” They just did whatever they felt like doing. But Nico wasn’t sure how to ask Will on a date. And if they were already dating, were all of these things they were doing dates by default? He hopes Will understands that he’s just a bit behind on the modern form of dating and doesn’t think that he’s just slacking off.

“You should ask him then. Plan a picnic or something. I hear Will likes things like that.” Nico nods. Jason keeps talking, but Nico tunes him out. He’s lucky that he has such good friends to give him advice. He doesn’t want to mess this up with Will.  
-  
Will’s happily surprised when Nico shows up at the infirmary. He’s had a long shift this morning, and he’s ready to just crash, honestly. After mending three broken arms and being up since six, he’s exhausted. But Nico always makes him smile. Especially with that adorable blush on his cheeks.

“Um, I have a surprise for you,” Nico says softly. Will’s heart skips a beat. Is this the day that Nico finally asks him out? Will’s been trying to think of a way to do that since he realized his crush on Nico, but he also didn’t want to scare Nico away. He knew that Nico was from a different time, and he wanted to make sure that they were friends before he started outright flirting.

But maybe Nico wasn’t as oblivious as all of his friends said.

“What is it?” Will asks. Nico smiles.

“A surprise. I can’t tell you.” He pauses. “Is your shift over?” Will glances at the clock. His shift has just ended three minutes ago.

“Yup.” Nico holds out his hand, and Will takes it. He pretends not to freak out at the feeling of Nico’s hand in his. It’s a little cold, a little calloused, but it’s strong and firm. And Will’s definitely freaking out. He lets Nico lead him out of the infirmary, waving to some of the campers as he passes by.

“You two are so cute together,” Clarisse says. Will blushes, and he notes that Nico does, too. He hopes that Nico likes him back, but sometimes it’s hard to tell. They get a few more whistles and comments, but Will tunes them out. He’s trying to figure out where Nico’s taking them.

“Um, here,” Nico says. He scratches his arm, looking up at Will shyly. They’re standing by the strawberry fields, a classic picnic laid out in front of them. Will’s heart beats faster. Is this it? Is Nico going to ask him out? Is this a date?

“It looks amazing.” Nico beams. They sit down, dropping their hands as they fumble to grab the food. It’s a little awkward, but Will doesn’t mind. He’s still basking in the feeling that Nico might actually like him back. They get their sandwiches together, Nico scooting close to Will.

“Do you like it?” Nico asks. Will nods.

“I love it. Thanks. And turkey sandwiches are my favorite.”

Nico nods. “That’s pretty much all I’ve seen you eat lately.” Will laughs. Sandwiches are just easy to grab and eat when he’s on shifts. But he’s still surprised that Nico was paying attention to what was on it. They eat in silence, Will all caught up in thoughts of wondering if Nico likes him and if he’s allowed to ask Nico out right now, even though it was Nico who planned this picnic.

Nico finishes his food before Will does, and he surprises Will again by cuddling up next to Will. He lays his head against Will’s shoulder, smiling up at Will. He looks shy like he’s not used to displaying this much physical affection (because that’s what this is, right?). And Will’s heart skips a few more beats. Because he didn’t know Nico could look so adorable.

“Hi,” Nico says, blinking. There’s still a tiny blush on his cheeks that Will is starting to think is permanent. (Not that he minds.)

“Hi to you, too.” Nico smiles at this, tilting his head a little closer to Will. Will wants to bend down and kiss Nico’s head, but he’s pretty sure he’s not allowed to do that. He doesn’t want to push Nico further than he’s ready, and he doesn’t want to scare Nico away. “Thanks for the picnic. This is fun.”

Nico hums. “Are you going to the campfire tonight?”

Will nods. “Would you like me to save you a seat?” Nico nods slowly, and Will smiles.  
-  
Nico’s heart is hammering. He doesn’t usually go to the campfire, but he knows that Will loves going. And one of the things you do for your boyfriend is doing things they like doing. So Nico’s going to the campfire. Plus, it can’t be all that bad if he’s going to be cuddled up next to Will all night. He smiles at the thought.

Will had been so sweet during the picnic, playing with Nico’s hair and telling him how much he enjoyed the picnic. They’d laid there until Will had to go and do his counselor duties, but he’d walked Nico back to his cabin and waved.

“Are you daydreaming about your boyfriend?” Clarisse asks. Nico shrugs. He’s not sure if Will wants their relationship to be public. He’s never said anything about it, but he never responds to the comments they get when they’re together either. “Hurt him and I will personally rip your heart out.”

Nico frowns, watching her leave. He’s not sure what that was about. He didn’t even know Will and Clarisse were close. He has a lot to learn about being Will’s boyfriend.

After dinner, he walks to the campfire with Will. They hold hands, partly because Nico wants to and partly because his hands are cold. But Will’s hands are so warm and soft, just one small callous from where Will’s pencil rubs against his finger when he writes up his doctor’s notes.

Nico can hear the whispers surrounding them, but they don’t bother him anymore. He and Will just went on their first date, and it had gone really well. All that was missing was their first kiss, but Nico was still nervous about that. So he was waiting for a good time. And Will didn’t seem ready to kiss him either, yet. Nico thinks Will must be new to this, too, because he also seems a bit shy about showing affection. But that’s okay with Nico.

“Heard you beat Percy this morning,” Will says. Nico nods. It’d been a close match, but Nico had pulled out ahead. “Maybe you could teach me to spar sometime. I’m pretty awful with the sword.”

Nico shrugs. “Maybe the sword just isn’t your weapon. You’re pretty good with the knife. And decent with the bow and arrow.” Will nods.  
“Maybe you’re right.” Nico smiles.

They take their seats, Nico sitting close to Will for warmth. Even though it’s a summer night, he’s always naturally colder than the average human. And Will’s always so much warmer. Will wraps a blanket around them, his eyes asking Nico if it’s okay with every movement. Nico keeps saying yes. He can’t believe he’s managed to find such a considerate boyfriend.

Austin starts up the sing-along, getting everyone to clap their hands as he sings some pop song Nico’s never heard of. Will sings along, and Nico leans his head against Will’s shoulder so he can feel the vibrations of Will’s voice. Will’s arm settles against Nico’s back, and Nico smiles. He bets they look like all those other couples he sees around camp. He catches Percy giving him a thumbs up.

“Are you going to sing?” Will asks once Austin’s finished. Nico shakes his head.“I don’t sing in public,” he says.

“Would you sing with me? We don’t even have to do a duet. We could just sing together. I think it’d be fun.” Nico’s still not sure.

“Can I think about it?” Will nods, passing Nico the box of graham crackers. Nico takes out a few, not sure how many s’mores he wants tonight. He knows that the box only goes around once or twice before they run out of food, though, so he grabs an extra.

“Do you know how to make the perfect s’more?” Will asks. He’s got two marshmallows skewered now. Nico watches as he slowly turns the skewer to make the marshmallows nice and brown. Nico just sticks his into the fire, blowing it out when the marshmallows turn black. Will looks offended.

Nico bursts out laughing. Before he becomes a marshmallow mess, he slides them onto his graham crackers and watches the chocolate melt. “I like them crunchy.”

Will rolls his eyes. “I like mine gooey.” Someone’s telling a ghost story now, and Will pulls Nico closer, grabbing his hand. They’re a little sticky from the s’mores, but Nico doesn’t mind. He can’t believe that Will’s scared of a little campfire story, though it’s really cute the way that Will reacts to each detail.

“Protect me, Nico,” Will whispers when the campfire goes eerily quiet. “Gods, I hate when Hecate kids tell the stories.” Nico loves this. They always do something to the fire, make it change colors or make smoke animals.

“I’m here, Will,” Nico says. He means for it to sound a little teasing, but it comes out soft and protective. Will grips his hand, eyes fixed on the purple fire. Will actually screams when the Hecate kid says boo. A few other campers do, too, and some laugh.

After the story, the singing starts up again. Will glances at Nico. “Maybe another night,” Nico says. He smiles when Will starts yawning. It’s only about nine-thirty, and they’ve had about six s’mores. But Will’s never been good at staying up once the sun goes down.

“Come on, sunshine,” Nico says softly. “I’ll walk you to your cabin.” Will looks grateful, looking out for ghosts and warlocks as they leave.

“Better not find you two making out when I get back!” Kayla calls. Nico can’t tell if Will blushes or not.

“Thanks for walking me back,” Will says when they get to the Apollo porch. Nico has to squint with all of the lanterns that are hanging up. “And for the campfire. And the picnic. Well, the whole day, I guess.” Nico nods. Will pauses. “Can I, um-“ he stops.

“Yeah?” Nico asks.

“Can I sit with you at breakfast tomorrow?” Will asks. Nico feels a bit disappointed that Will’s not going to kiss him right now, but he nods. Will smiles, waving a little as he steps into his cabin. Nico heads back to his own cabin. He wonders if he should get some kissing advice or not.  
-  
Will’s not sure what to think, but he’s pretty sure Nico’s courting him. He got flowers this morning at breakfast and chocolate chip cookies at lunch. And now they’re sitting by the lake, and Nico’s just handed him a flower crown made of dandelions.

He wonders if he somehow missed the day that they started dating. He’d feel awful if he did. Because Nico’s so sweet and adorable when he wants to be, and Will would hate hurting him. But he’s not sure how to bring it up. Because now he’s not sure if he can ask Nico out without it sounding like he wasn’t sure.

“Capture the flag is tomorrow,” Nico says. Will nods. He doesn’t really like capture the flag, but he supposes it’s nice to stay in shape every now and then. “I think we’re definitely going to beat the Hecate cabin.”

Will shrugs. “I don’t know. I’ve heard Lou Ellen talking about the new spells they’ve been creating. Sounds crazy. Don’t get turned into a pig, okay?”

Nico smiles. “Would you kiss me?” Will must look confused because Nico’s smile slips a bit. “Like in the fairytales, right?” he asks.

“Oh, yeah,” Will says. “It’s a frog. But, yeah. I’d still kiss you.” He doesn’t know when they started talking so softly, and he’s not sure if he’s breathing right now.

“I’d kiss you, too,” Nico says, not quite looking at Will. “Even if you weren’t a pig.” Will laughs nervously. He’s not sure where they’re going with this. Is this Nico’s way of asking him out? Is this Nico’s way of saying he wants to be kissed? By Will?

“Yeah?” Will breathes.

Nico gives a jerky nod, blushing. “I mean, I’m not that great at kissing. But the fairytales don’t say you have to be good, right?”

Will smiles. “I, um, could teach you.” He’s pretty sure he looks like a tomato right now.

“Have a lot of practice, Will?” Nico asks.

Will shrugs. He hasn’t had any practice. He’s never kissed anyone or even anything. He’s too embarrassed to practice kissing his pillow or his hand or his bedpost. His cabin isn’t the most private place in the camp, and he knows his siblings won’t ever let him live that down.

“Not really.” Nico smiles at this. “But we could try. You know, just in case you get turned into a pig.” Nico nods, and he brings his eyes up to meet Will’s. It takes a few moments, but then they’re both leaning forward. Will’s nose knocks against Nico’s forehead, but that all disappears when their lips touch. Because kissing is not what Will expected.

He’s not really sure what he expected. But it’s not the feeling of Nico smiling against him, the little puffs of breath that taste like mint, the way he can practically feel his blush pressed against Nico’s. They pull back, and Will’s a little embarrassed that he’s out of breath.

“Just for the record, I wouldn’t get turned into a pig,” Nico breathes.

Will laughs. “Does this mean we’re dating now?” Now it’s Nico’s turn to look confused, and Will wants to backtrack. Because what if Nico really just kissed Will for practice? What if it didn’t mean anything? “I mean because we kissed. Or was it just practice?”

Nico blinks. “I thought we were already dating,” he says quietly. And then it all falls into place. The picnic, the campfire, the presents, the awkward cuddling. “Aren’t we?”

Will smiles, taking Nico’s hand. “I’d love to be your boyfriend, Nico,” he says. He wonders how long Nico thinks they’ve been dating. Nico looks relieved as he leans into Will.

“Don’t scare me like that, Will. I really like you.” His words are a little muffled, but Will hears them.

“I really like you, too, Nico. Would you want to go on a date with me?”

Nico beams. “Yes.”


	8. what if

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is just a super short thing I wrote as a what if for the multi-chapter fic I just completed writing - a what if Nico hadn't gone on that date with Theo

He’s not exactly sure what to expect. Will had kept some of the more minor details to himself, the details that would give everything away, he’d said. He’s nervous for Will, if he’s being honest with himself. Will’s never put himself out there like that, and Nico’s not exactly an expert on things. (His only experience has been turning guys away, and that’s not exactly encouraging for your best friend who’s trying to get a date.)

“You’re sure this will work out okay?” Will had asked him on the phone last night. Nico had called him for their usual chat as they hadn’t been able to talk yesterday. “I mean, what if he says no? I’d respect his decision, but I don’t know.”

“It’ll be fine, Will,” Nico had said. He’d been trying to convince himself the same thing. What stung a bit about the whole situation was that Will had yet to divulge just who this mystery person was. Nico was Will’s best friend. How could he not know how his best friend had a crush on? And why did Will keep avoiding the question?

Eventually, Nico had just given up trying to get the answer and just went about more subtler methods. But nothing turned up any hints. Other than they liked flowers and stupid puns and Will in blue. But that could be almost anyone.

Will’s been nervous the whole day, so Nico’s had to take careful notes for the both of them. His hand is aching from all of the writing (usually Will’s the one who takes the notes). He’d also had to make Will eat at lunch because he said he was too nervous to even think about food. Although, the last thing they ended was Will passing out right before he asked out this mystery man.

“It’s going to be fine,” Nico says as they leave their last class. “He’s going to say yes. And then I’m going to pretend to be grumpy that you’re splitting your time between us.”

Will makes a face at this, but whatever it was, it passes quickly. “Well, here goes nothing. You’ll be waiting in the agreed upon spot?”

Nico nods, smiling. He gives Will a hug before patting his shoulder. “Yes, Will. I’ll be right there. I need to grab something first.” Will nods, bouncing on his heels a little before walking away. Nico thinks that maybe if Will didn’t put so much planning into this, things would go smoother. But he also knows that Will would probably be more nervous if there weren’t a plan.

He sighs, closing his locker. The plan is that Will’s going to ask the mystery man in the side courtyard after school. There are fewer people there, fewer bystanders to watch Will fail. Or to pressure mystery man into saying yes. Of course, if mystery man doesn’t say yes, that’s where Nico comes in. As a shoulder to cry on and as a threat. Because he doesn’t understand how someone could not like Will.

He gets to his assigned corner of the courtyard, surprised when he sees Will already coming towards him. Nico does a quick assessment for signs of disappointment or hurt. Then he checks for signs of elation or happiness. He doesn’t find either. He just sees nerves.

“Will, what’s wrong? Was he not here? Did he say no?” He hates to assume the worst, but Will’s not smiling. He wants to reach up and smooth out the wrinkled brows, hug Will and tell him that there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

“Nico,” Will says. He’s clutching the flowers, taking a moment to sniff them before handing them to Nico. “Um, not a daisy goes by when I don’t think of you.” His cheeks are bright red, and Nico’s pretty sure his mind is short-circuiting. Because this wasn’t part of the plan, was it?

“Um,” Nico says.  
“Will you go on a date with me?” Will thrusts the flowers forward into Nico’s chest. “Please?”

Nico takes the flowers, nodding. “You know I was jealous of whoever was going to get these,” Nico says softly. Will lets out a nervous peal of laughter. “But I guess I can’t be jealous of myself.”Will smiles at him. “Is that a yes?”

Nico grins, reaching up to hug Will. “Of course, yes, Will.” He thinks back to their first kiss, and he wonders if this is the strange feeling that’s been growing in his stomach this whole time. He’s always loved Will, that’s just what best friends do. But maybe this is a different type of love. Because maybe it’s possible to love Will in more than one way.

Will lets out a breath. “You had me scared for a moment. I didn’t think you’d come.”

Nico shrugs. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to see you ask someone else out. But you know I’m always here for you, Will.”

Will leans against him, folding their hands together. “Yeah, I know.” He beams. “Also, can you drive me home?”

Nico rolls his eyes. Yes, he thinks, he loves Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, sorry I haven't been doing these one-shots as often. I just finished my multi-chapter fic, so I'll be back to writing these a bit more regularly. thanks for the patience :)


	9. finding home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's a superhero whose job is to comfort people. Nico breaks into houses in hopes of finding his long-lost sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: kidnapping scene, mentions of kidnapping throughout, mentions of physical abuse, some bullying

Will sighs when he gets the call. Another break-in. He’s getting pretty tired of these things, especially when nothing happens. Well, it’s good that nothing happens. But it’s also kind of annoying. Why break into someone’s house if you’re not going to steal anything? Just for kicks and giggles? And all Will wants is a night to himself, but he supposes that maybe he shouldn’t have been a superhero then.

As Will drives through the dark streets, his mind can’t help but recall the long list of homework that he’s got to finish before tomorrow. He’s currently in the middle of his English paper, but he’s having trouble writing the perfect thesis statement. And now this.

He turns off into this little suburban neighborhood, groaning when he sees everyone standing outside on the lawn. There are police cars in the driveway, and some little girl is crying. The ambulances have already been sent home since it’s clear that no one’s been hurt.

“Oh, good, you’re here,” a police officer says. Will just nods. “Just another one of those weird break-ins. Nothing stolen, no one harmed.”

Will sighs once more as he steps into the house. There isn’t even anything unturned or out of place. He’s not even sure if he’d be able to convince himself that someone broke in if it weren’t for the little scratches by the keyhole. Whoever was doing this was good at breaking in. Will wonders if they do it just for fun. Probably some teenager who just likes to give people a good scare.

“Nothing suspicious. No signs of any threat,” another police officer says. “We’ve searched the place for bombs and hidden packages, but our scanners aren’t picking up anything.”

Will wants to shrug and just throw his hands in the air. He’s not even sure why he’s called to these things. Sure, he’s a superhero. But his powers are pretty limited. Glowing in the dark isn’t exactly good for stealth. And healing only comes in handy when people are hurt which is a bit of a downer. He can do a few other things, but he reserves those powers for more intense situations.

“Just add it to the file,” Will says. Five other houses have been broken into this year. Seventeen in the last three years. Aside from the usual burglaries and robberies, nothing is ever harmed or stolen. If it weren’t for the faint marks left here and there, it’s almost as if a door was just simply left unlocked or a cat had knocked over something. Will thinks the town’s starting to get paranoid.

“Sorry to bother you.” Will just nods. They always bother him, even if it’s just something minor like a cat getting stuck in a tree. He wonders why he ever thought it’d be a good idea to advertise his good will. Although, he did need the money, and the police force paid pretty well. (Not that he was doing it for the money, but college wasn’t exactly cheap.)

Will flops down on his bed when he gets home. His mom comes in with a bowl of soup. She sits down on his bed. “You know it always worries me when you get called in.” She brushes her fingers through his hair. “I just wish there were other things you could do instead.”

“I know, Mama. And that’s why I’m going to school.” She nods. He wanted to be a doctor. Because between the knowledge and his abilities, he’d be able to help a lot of people. And he wouldn’t have to get involved with the law or danger so directly. “It was just another break-in,” Will adds.

“I hope it’s not just some kid playing a prank,” Mama says. Will nods. While he doesn’t want there to be a more sinister reason, he’s also tired of getting called into these kinds of things. The police are better investigators than he is. They’d already cleared the scene when he’d gotten there. There was no need for him to be there tonight.

“Me, too. But I also hope no one gets hurt. Not everyone in this town is just going to call the police.” His mom nods again.

“Don’t stay up too late, okay? I know you have that test tomorrow.” Will nods. He’s been studying all week for that Spanish test, although h doubts he’s anywhere close to fluent.

“I love you, Mama. Night.” She kisses his forehead. Once she’s gone, Will slurps up the soup, happy now that he has a full belly. Then he dives right into studying.  
-  
Nico hates school. It wasn’t always this way, but lately, a lot of things have just been crappy. He does his best not to think about his mom’s saddened face every time it’s just him that walks through the front door or the way that two chairs at the table feels like one too little (because it is). He hates how there’s a hole in both of their hearts that neither of them can fix, that neither of them saw coming.

And now some of the bullies at school are starting to pick up on his bad luck. At first, they didn’t do more than jeer and curse at him. Sometimes they’d stick mean notes to his locker, but Nico just considered that childish. Now, they shoved him in the hallways and spit at his shoes.

It was still elementary bullying, but it was just another thing to hate about his life. He never told his mom about it; he knew how she’d respond. But he also knew that she was too wrapped up in her own aching to be of much help. He never faulted her for this, but sometimes, he wished that she could be just as much of a mother for two as for one. That it didn’t matter if Bianca was gone (because, eventually, she’d leave, right?), he’d still be her son always.

“Hey, loser,” a voice calls. Nico lets it roll off of his back. If the bullies got more creative, it might sting. But right now, it was just numbness that Nico felt. They continue to call out names, push him around. Other students just keep walking, hardly glancing at him. He’s grown used to this, too. The apathy of others. In this world, if you wanted something, you had to get it yourself.

And that’s how he started breaking into people’s houses. Because he had to find Bianca, bring her back to Mama. He had to show her that he was worthy of being loved as an individual, not just Bianca’s brother. That he was capable of great things, too. And because Bianca was his big sister, and he never thought she’d be taken from him.

He remembers the day it happened. Just a regular trip to the grocery store. His mom had sent him to get some eggs while she got the bread, and Bianca had tagged along. The next moments had happened quickly. An older man had come up to them, asking if they wanted to see his puppy. Nico had shaken his head, but Bianca had smiled.

“You can’t bring puppies into the store,” she’d said.

The man had smiled. “He’s in my car. Help me with my groceries, maybe? Then you can see him.” He’d smiled at Nico, too, but Nico remembers feeling afraid. He hated strangers even then, but Bianca trusted everyone.

“Bi, I think we should wait for Mama.” He glanced around the store, but he couldn’t find her.

“I’ll be quick,” Bianca had said. “I’ll meet you guys in the check out line.” And then she’d twirled off with the man. Nico had run through the store, almost in tears, trying to find his mom. He had a bad feeling about this, but he’d never been able to say no to his sister.

“Mama! Mama!” he’d cried when he found her. It’d taken a couple of tries for him to get the words out. And then Mama had said something very quickly, rushing to the front of the store without even bringing the cart. Nico’s fear had grown. He’d watched as Mama had run through the parking lot, screaming Bianca’s name. But Bianca had never answered. And Nico blamed himself for not standing up to the man. Because even little brothers are supposed to protect their sisters, right?

Tonight, he breaks into two houses. He never does more than two or three at a time, afraid that he’ll be caught. He knows Bianca’s still out there, knows that she needs his help. He wonders if she ever tries to spot him in town, if she’s ever let outside. He’s read the statistics for kidnappings, has heard the stories. He knows only a handful of them ever turn out happy endings. He’s determined that this one will be.

He will not let Bianca be forgotten. Even if the police have stopped their adamant searches, her name and picture disappearing underneath hundreds of others.

“Why are you always out so late?” Mama’s voice floats down the hallway. Nico stops in her doorway. He knows it worries her.

“School stuff,” Nico says. He sees Mama smile. “Good night, Mama,” he whispers. He suspects that she’s already fallen asleep again.

The houses today were dead ends, but he still checks them off his list. He knows it’s probably foolish to think that Bianca’s still alive, that she’s still in the same town they both grew up in, but he can’t lose hope. He glances over at his nightstand, looking at her face. It’s been ten years, and there’s no doubt that she’s grown up. A sharp pain reminds him that he doesn’t even know what she looks like anymore. But he remembers enough, he thinks, to be able to find her.

And he will find her.  
-  
School drags on as usual, and Will’s still getting called in for more break-ins. So far there have been three this week alone, and he’s exhausted. He’s got a bruise on his leg from standing up for this kid at school. He thinks the kid’s name is Nico, though he’s not sure since he hasn’t talked to him since elementary school. He’d been cornered outside the cafeteria, his books scattered across the floor where someone obviously had just dumped them.

“Leave him alone,” Will had said. He’d been leaving lunch early so that he could talk to a teacher about an overdue assignment, and he’d stumbled across Nico accidentally.

“Your turn to pick on him, Solace?” a kid sneers. They’re starting to move closer to Will now, forgetting about Nico.

“No,” Will says. He’s honestly not sure what to do in situations like this. He’s always been told from childhood to stand up for what he believes in, but no one ever tells him how hard it is. No one ever tells him what the right thing to say is or what it’s going to take. “No one deserves to be bullied. So leave him alone,” Will repeats.

The boys make some horrible cooing noise, grinning. “He’s just a loser, Solace. I wouldn’t waste your time saving him.” One boy kicks Will, and when Will doesn’t flinch, he leaves. The rest follow him.“You didn’t have to do that. I’m perfectly fine being a loser by myself,” Nico says. He’s gathering his books, not meeting Will’s eyes.

“But isn’t two company?” Will asks. He has no idea what to do next.

Something like hurt flashes across Nico’s face when Will says this. “But three is a crowd. I don’t need your help, Solace.”

“My name is Will,” Will adds. The boy glances at him.

“I don’t need your help, Will. So just leave me alone.” He’d walked away then, and Will hadn’t followed him. Because what could he do? Keep talking to him? Ask to be his friend? He’d learned long ago that you couldn’t force anyone to do something they didn’t want to do. And if you could, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.

So now, he’s laying in bed, his homework laying unfinished on his desk. He’s set his alarm early so that he’ll have time to finish it tomorrow morning, but he’s so exhausted right now. And he knows he’s worrying his mom. There’s nothing she can do to stop him from trying to make the world a better place, nothing short of lying to him. So she doesn’t, simply taking care of him as best she can. Sometimes superheroes aren’t the only ones who make sacrifices.

“Were you limping today?” Mama asks now, standing in his doorway. Though his light’s been off for twenty minutes, she knows he’s not asleep.

“It’s nothing, Mama. I just stopped some bullying today.” She purses her lips, a familiar gesture that means she wishes Will wouldn’t have to put up with so many evils of the world.

“Why didn’t you heal it?” Mama asks.

Will shrugs. “It’ll fade in a day or so. You know I heal faster than most people.” Mama nods, moving to sit on his bed. Will makes room for her, wincing only slightly when her hip brushes against his bruise. “Besides, it doesn’t really bother me.”

They both know he’s lying. In truth, it takes energy to use his powers, and energy is something he’s running low on lately. He doesn’t have the typical superpowers of most famous superheroes. Instead, he has more subtle and mild powers. Powers of healing and light. Soothing and gentle. He can calm almost any child and heal almost any wound. He can glow in the dark (although, he’s hardly ever used that power except when he was little and scared of the dark).

“I love you, Will,” Mama says. She smiles, kissing his forehead. “Be safe, okay?”  
Will nods. “Always, Mama.” He smiles at her. She squeezes his hand before leaving. He listens to her footsteps creak down the hallway. He thinks that the house is too big for just the two of them, but he can’t imagine living in another home.

He must doze off because he’s awoken by an alarm on his phone. He quickly silences it, his eyes adjusting to the bright screen. He reads the address, and his heart rate speeds up. The address is his. He sends a note to the police squad to hold off for a few moments as he creeps down the hall. His mom’s door is still shut, and he can hear her snores from inside.

He hears something in the kitchen. He catches the boy just as he’s heading out. “Wait!” Will’s quiet voice echoes off the walls in the night. “Please. I won’t hurt you.” He works some of his power into his voice, feeling it come out smooth and gentle. Miraculously, the boy turns.

“I was just leaving,” he says. Will thinks he recognizes those eyes.

“Are you the one who keeps breaking in?” Slowly, there’s a nod. “Why? You never steal anything, right?” There’s another nod.

“It’s a long story.” Will gives him a small smile.

“Want some hot chocolate? I’m always up for a story.” The boy still seems hesitant, but he nods after a moment. He shuts the door. Will breathes out a sigh of relief. He rummages through the kitchen to find what he’s looking for. With the milk on the stove, he turns to the boy who’s sitting at the counter.

“You’re the guy from school, aren’t you?” the boy asks. Will nods. “Gods, I am so sorry. Usually, I’m quicker and quieter.”

Will shrugs. “I’m a light sleeper. Also, if you’d left, you wouldn’t get any hot chocolate.” He turns back to stir the milk, making sure it doesn’t burn. “I’m Will, by the way.” HIs identity isn’t exactly a secret to anyone who knows of his powers, but he does like to keep a low profile.

“I’m Nico.” Will grins. They’re quiet while Will makes the hot chocolate, carefully pouring it into mugs with cartoon cats on them. He adds whipped cream and marshmallows even though it’s almost midnight. Nico takes a few hesitant sips, occasionally glancing at the door.

“The police aren’t coming,” Will says. He’s told them it was a false alarm. “You’re welcome to leave at any time. Or stay.”

Nico nods. “Well, I seemed to have promised a story.” Will nods. Nico finishes his hot chocolate before starting his story. By the time he’s done, Will’s stomach is all in knots. He thinks he might remember Nico’s older sister from elementary school. The two were practically inseparable. He can’t imagine losing a sister like that.

“Can I help you find her?” Will asks.

Nico eyes him. “I thought I told you to leave me alone?”

Will almost grins. “And yet you’re in my kitchen. Seems like you need my help.”

Nico sighs. “You might get arrested.” Will shakes his head.

“I won’t. And I promise you won’t either. I can help you.” He holds out his hand for Nico to shake it. Nico glances at the door one last time.

“You promise we’ll find her?” Will feels slightly uncomfortable at promising something he can’t predict.

“I promise to help you,” Will says. Something glints across Nico’s eyes, but he nods. He shakes Will’s hand. Will smiles.

“Will, sweetie? Is that you?” In the excitement, Will hadn’t heard Mama’s footsteps.

“It’s me, Mama. And Nico. From school.” Mama’s appears in the kitchen doorway. She looks tired.

“Right. Well, you know where the extra sheets are. Don’t stay up too late, boys.” She yawns, heading back upstairs. Nico glances at Will.

“You’re welcome to stay if you need to,” Will says. He gestures to the couch. They don’t have a spare bedroom at the moment. Nico seems to consider before shaking his head.

“No, I should get back to my mom.” Will nods. He sets their mugs in the sink before escorting Nico out of the house.

“Don’t do anything until we talk again, okay?” Will asks. If Nico gets arrested on his own, there won’t be much he can do. Nico nods.

Nico looks at him. “Don’t break your promise.”  
-  
They meet up at Nico’s house so that Will’s mom can stay out of the situation. “She doesn’t quite understand,” Will says when Nico asks about the whole superhero thing. Honestly, he’s not sure if he should be excited or nervous that he’s working with a superhero. And he’s also not sure if that goes for working with Will Solace, who’s already a great guy without the superhero business on the side.

“I kind of have access to the police files,” Will says when Nico asks how they’re going to do this. Because more break-ins per night is only going to cause more panic and suspicion. And it’s not like Nico needs helping breaking into houses. He’s gotten quite good at it.

“They just let you use their stuff?” Nico asks. He’s kind of understanding why he hasn’t gotten caught yet if they’re letting a high schooler into their files.

“Well, only for certain situations. And I told them I’m on a kidnapping case. So, it’s a good cause.” Will shrugs. Nico can tell he’s a little uncertain about the whole idea, but he’s not going to debate morals right now when Will’s agreed to help him.

“So we just look through the files? How’s that going to help? If they could have done that, they would have found her already.”

Will nods. “It’s a start. We could probably watch the security footage from the store, too,” he adds. “Because, no offense, but your memory is probably not the best thing to arrest a guy on.” Nico nods. It’s been so long. He’s not even sure if he’d be able to recognize himself after so long.

So they split up. While Nico’s going through the police files, Will goes to the grocery store to get the tape. He returns only an hour later, a triumphant smile on his face. Unfortunately, watching it all happen again (this time in the third person), is more difficult than it was the first time. Sometimes ignorance is best. Knowing is when things hurt.

“Hey, we’re going find her,” Will says. Nico wonders if he’s using some of that soothing stuff he’s got or if Will’s just a naturally soothing person. But, either way, he doesn’t mind. He wipes his face, takes a few deep breaths, and goes back to looking at the files. “So, ten years is a lot. This guy’s probably old now or something.”

He clicks a few buttons on the computer, and Nico watches as some random person ages before him. “You can do that?” Will nods. “So we just need to find this guy’s info and age him a little maybe. Or make him younger. However, this stuff works.”

If only it were as easy as that, Nico thinks. He’s looked at so many faces in the last hour that he’s pretty sure he could point out any random person on the street. By the time Will suggests they take a break, he’s feeling jittery. “Want to get some lunch?” Will asks. “I know a good burger place.”

Nico laughs when he sees it. “McDonald’s isn’t a good burger place, Will.” He laughs again. “McDonald’s is the best burger place.” He can tell Will wants to object, so he just shakes his head. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”

They order their food and sit at a corner table. He hasn’t been here in forever, but the burgers are still just as amazing as he remembers. They eat in silence for a bit, just shoving fries and greasy hamburger into their mouths. It feels a little strange to be sitting here without Bianca, but Nico knows that she’d rather have him enjoy his burger than worry about her.

If only he could. He hasn’t stopped worrying about her in ten years.

“Hey,” Will says again. He reaches across the table to smile at Nico. “Think happy thoughts. Your face looks better with a smile.”

Nico pouts. “Are you saying I look ugly when I frown?”

Will laughs. “No. You’re still adorable. But I like it better when you smile.” It takes both of them a minute or so to realize what Will’s just said. Then they’re both blushing. “Just, um, smile more. It’s healthier and whatnot.”

Nico nods slowly. He’s not sure what’s up with his face currently, now that Will’s acting all awkward now. Adorably awkward, but whatever. He’s about to say something mildly embarrassing when his phone rings.

“Hey, Mama. I’m at McDonald’s with Will right now. The guy from school.” He listens. “Yeah, I can be home soon. Love you, Mama.”

“I’m just the guy from school?” Will asks, but he’s smiling. “Not friend. Or superhero. Or awesome person?” Nico rolls his eyes.

“Answer pending,” Nico says. “Until later.”

Will pouts, and Nico can’t help but think it’s adorable the way Will’s face scrunches up just a little. “I’ll be waiting, then.”

Nico laughs. “This isn’t some cheesy superhero comic, you know.”

Will shrugs. “It could be, though.”  
-  
With yet another distraction in his life, Will’s definitely not getting much homework done. It’s been a week since they’ve teamed up, and they’ve looked at so many faces, Will’s seeing them in his dreams. Or his nightmares, whatever. And then there’s Nico’s face, the one he never wants to stop seeing.

“Will! I don’t hear any work being done in there,” Mama calls. And then she’s standing in the doorway. “Have you finished your paper?”

Will nods. “Yup. Just now. I’m taking a break.” Mama nods, not convinced.

“And this break requires all of your homework to be in your backpack?” Will nods.“I really did finish my paper, though.”

“They’ve been calling you in for more investigations lately,” Mama says. “Is everything okay? I know they have that secrecy clause, but I’m here if you need to talk, Will.” She moves to sit on his bed. Will nods.

“I know, Mama.” He hasn’t quite told her about Nico’s situation yet. “This one’s a bit more personal, so they’re trying to keep it closed.”

Mama nods. Will hates lying to her, but he’s not sure if Nico would want him telling. And kidnapping crimes are a bit more serious than his usual work, which is just to calm victims of crime usually. He doesn’t want to lie to her, but he doesn’t want to get her involved either. Already, he’s feeling a bit paranoid at the idea that he’s pretty much trying to stalk someone. And how easily he could be watched as well.

He’s still thinking about this when he invites Nico over to study. It’s another ploy, honestly, to try and get him more focused. He’s never had so much trouble focusing before. But there’s something about Nico that keeps drawing his attention away. The way Nico clicks the pencil against his chin, his smile, the way his handwriting is so perfect. Will also happens to very much like the look of Nico sitting cross-legged on his bed.

“You’re staring again,” Nico says, looking up. He’s just finished another page of homework, and Will’s barely started his. Both of their cheeks are pink now. “I don’t mind too much, but you should be doing your homework.”

“I can’t focus,” Will says. Nico rolls his eyes, scooting closer to Will.

“Here.” He takes Will’s book from him, reading out the assignment. “This won’t take too long.” He proceeds to read out the homework while Will copies it down, answering the questions. It’s like he can’t pull away from Nico’s voice; he has no choice but to listen. So he does. And before he knows it, he’s finished one page of homework.

“I did it,” Will says.

Nico huffs. “I did most of the heavy-lifting but sure.” He gives Will a small grin. Will’s not sure what to do with his feelings or even if Nico likes him back. Because he’s supposed to be helping Nico find his sister, no distractions. He’s a little scared that Nico’s being so nice to him because he just wants to find his sister, not because he likes Will at all.

He’s about to ask Nico when his mom appears in the doorway. “Hungry? I just picked up some snacks.” They head downstairs to see what there is. Mama puts the groceries away while she asks Nico questions about how he and Will met, what they were doing, etc..

“Do you want to stay for dinner?” Mama asks. Nico looks up, and Will thinks it looks a bit like a deer caught in the headlights. “It’s completely up to you, of course,” Mama adds.

“I’d love to,” Nico says. “But I have to get home to my mom. She hasn’t been doing well lately.” Will nods, though he feels a bit disappointed that Nico turned down the offer. He’d been hoping that he could learn more about Nico without being too obvious. He thinks of all the situations, he had to meet Nico doing superhero work.

“You like him, don’t you?” Mama asks once Nico’s left. Will doesn’t even have to answer her. He’s only known Nico for maybe two weeks, and he’s already so far gone.  
-  
Nico’s not expecting the call. Even after all of these years, he’s never expected the call to come in. He presses the phone to his ears, careful not to wake his mom.

“Hello?” he asks. He’s not sure why he sounds so afraid. He’s wanted this his whole life.

“I think we’ve found her, Nico,” Will’s voice says. It all feels so surreal. “But we’re going to need to see if it’s her before we do anything. And we’re not allowed to rescue her,” he adds, and Nico feels something heavy settle in his stomach.

“But we are going to rescue her, aren’t we?” he asks. His voice is a little harder than he means for it to be.

“We aren’t. But the police will,” Will says. “It’s too dangerous, and we’re not trained.” Nico huffs. What’s the point of being a superhero if you can’t rescue people? Wasn’t that their job? He’s seen Will’s powers, knows that they aren’t quite up to par with the superheroes of comic books, but he still thinks that he could sneak Bianca out of the house without being seen or caught.

“I don’t think it should matter.”

“Nico, please, promise me you won’t rush in there. We don’t know who this person is. And we don’t know how she’ll react either.” Nico sighs at this last part. He hasn’t seen Bianca in ten years. What if she doesn’t remember him? What if she hates him? Thinks it’s all his fault? He’s never had to face these questions because they were all followed up by if they found her. But now they’d found her, most likely.

Will repeats himself.

“I promise,” Nico says. “But don’t expect me to stand there if she needs help.”

His phone buzzes with an address, and Nico’s flying out of bed. He doesn’t recognize the place at all, and his GPS is taking him to the outskirts of town, almost to another town. Will’s waiting down the street. The plan is to get in there and get out, see if it’s the right house. If it is, the police are waiting.

Nico takes a few deep breaths before he makes quick work of the locks. He’d expected more security, but he supposes after ten years, he’d be less paranoid, too. He and Will make their way through the house, quietly searching behind every door. To Nico’s surprise, the house looks like most others he’s been in. Like any normal family could live there.

“Nico!” Will whispers. He gestures to a bedroom upstairs. There’s a man sleeping in the bed. In the bad lighting, he looks like almost any other man in the town. He’s got light brown hair, balding a little at the top, a little broad at the shoulders. He’s also snoring.

“Where is she?” Nico asks. Adrenaline is coursing through him at the thought that Bianca could be hiding from him, that she might be scared of him. He hears a sound downstairs and is quickly following it. Will’s right behind him, which is good, because he might be dead otherwise.

“Hi,” Will says, his voice a little more panicked than usual. “I’m Will,” he adds hurriedly. A teenage girl is standing before them, gun pointing at Nico. “And this is Nico,” Will presses on.

“Nico?” the girl asks. She’s still holding the gun, but now she’s pointing it at Will’s chest. “I had a brother named Nico once.”

Will nods, smiling. Nico doesn’t point out that he’s glowing just a bit, giving off a soft, warm light. “He’s been looking to bring you back home,” Will says softly. “He’s missed you, and he’s been looking all over for you.”

The girl looks between the two of them. Nico’s looking only at the girl now. She looks so familiar and so foreign at the same time. The same brown eyes, brown hair, but her expression is scared. And she’s so thin. Nico doesn’t want to think about what’s been happening since he’s lost her.

“Are you Bianca?” Nico asks softly.

The girl finches slightly. “My name used to be Bianca,” she says quietly. She lowers the gun now. “But you two are not safe. You must leave,” she adds. “David will get very mad if he sees you here.” She tries to usher them outside. Nico grabs her wrist, and she freezes.

“Come with me, please, Bianca. You’ll be safe, I promise. Come home.” He’s almost in tears now. What if Bianca doesn’t want to come home?

“Nico,” Will says softly. He loosens Nico’s grip from around her wrist, talking to her in soft, soothing tones. Nico has no idea what he’s saying. But Bianca’s eyes are on Nico. She takes a step onto the porch. And then there are loud footsteps on the stairs.

“Get out of here,” Bianca says. “He’ll hurt you.” She tries to shove them away, but Nico won’t leave. He’s just found his sister, and he’s not leaving her again.

“The police are here,” Will says softly. “They’ll make sure we’re safe. And we’ll make sure you’re safe.” It’s a few moments before Bianca’s nodding. Will grabs her just as David bursts through the door. He makes a grab at them, but the police are there in seconds. Nico never even heard hem approach.

From there, it’s all a blur. There are sirens and shouting, a few gunshots. Bianca’s crying, and Will’s talking so softly, Nico wonders if he’s actually singing. Nico’s clinging to Will because Bianca flinches every time he moves to touch her. They sit in Will’s car while the police handle everything.

“Go to sleep, Nico,” Will says softly. “She’ll be here when you wake up, I promise.”

Nico’s never been one to disagree with Will, never been able to not fall under the spell of his comforting voice (even without the charm). “Go to sleep, Nico,” Will repeats. “I’ll keep you two safe.”  
-  
Will’s exhausted. Not that that’s all that unusual. And his mom is furious. Which is new. Her lips are pursed as she looks at Will, both di Angelo siblings sprawled across him like he’s a bed. Bianca’s curled up in his arms, and Nico’s leaning against his shoulder. He’s been sitting in his living room like this for the past three hours, another reason his mom is angry at him.

“I didn’t quite expect our home to become a police station,” she’d said about an hour ago. Will could only shrug. He wanted Bianca to wake up somewhere comforting. And he wanted Nico to wake up somewhere familiar. And he knew it’d be too much to take them home immediately. They were still sorting out details before they told Mrs. di Angelo.

Mama eventually sits down next to Nico, running a hand through his hair. The police are buzzing around them, checking things over, talking to themselves. Will just wants to sleep, but he’s not going to until everything’s on the way to being okay. They’d found bruises on Bianca, signs of abuse. And the man she was living with wasn’t the man who had kidnapped her. Some kind of human trafficking circle had brought her there.

She was expected to give her statement, but they were letting her sleep. She was still a minor, not even eighteen yet. But almost.

Using his powers exhausted him even more, but he knew how handy they were in situations like this. He’d comforted enough people to understand that sometimes the best thing to do was just to be there for people. Not to try and fix everything but to listen to them and hold them.

“I’m still not happy that you two were sneaking around behind my back,” Mama says. Her expression softens. “But I understand why. Even if it was dangerous.” She leans over to kiss his cheek. Nico shifts against his side, blinking his eyes open. Mama leans back.

“We’re at my house,” Will says quietly. Nico’s eyes fixed first on the police, then Will, then Bianca.

“Is she okay?” Will nods. They’d discussed taking her to the hospital, but they didn’t want to do anything without her consent. And there weren’t any signs of injury they could take care of.

“They’re still trying to figure out what happened in the last ten years,” Will says. “She woke up briefly to consent to a DNA test. But from here on out, it might be slow progress.” He sees Nico nod.“Will you be there to help?” Nico nods at the way Bianca’s curled into his side. “I mean, you clearly know what you’re doing. I don’t want to mess her up, you know?”

Will smiles, brushing Nico’s hair out of his face. “If both of you would like that, yes,” he says. He glances at his mom who just sighs. She nods.

“I was going to ground you, but I think that this is more important,” Mama says. Nico reaches out slowly, tracing Bianca’s hand.

“Do you think things will be okay?” Nico asks after a moment. “I know they won’t suddenly be, but sometime?”

Will smiles. “Things will get better.” He pauses. “We, um, called your mom to say you were sleeping over. But we didn’t say anything about Bianca. Mama thought it’d be best if we waited until the police were mostly done doing all of the arresting and whatnot before.”

Nico nods. Will had never met Nico’s mom, but from what he could tell, she was devastated by the loss of her daughter. And he wanted to be able to break the news to her gently. Bianca wouldn’t be the only one healing.

“We weren’t sure the best way to break the news,” Mama adds. “Since it can be shocking, even if it’s good news.”

Nico nods again. “I can work that out.”  
-  
It’s a few days before Bianca’s ready to go home. In that time, Nico’s slowly broke the news to his mom. But it’s clear that she doesn’t understand until Bianca’s right in front of her. Nico sets Mama up on the couch, and he has Will bring Bianca in. She’s grown less timid under Will’s soothing voice and Nico’s impatience, and today she’s smiling a little.

“Mama?” Bianca asks quietly as she steps into the room. Nico knows the exact moment that Mama recognizes the voice. All three of them are sobbing now, Mama and Bianca clutching at each other, Nico sagging against Will’s chest. He can’t keep himself together. This whole week has been a train wreck of emotions, and he’s pretty sure Will and Will’s mom are the only things keeping him together.

After a few moments, the tears subside a bit, and Mama spends a few moments just looking at Bianca. It’s slow progress as they begin to talk, halting conversations when the questions get too hard to answer and sometimes too hard to ask. Nico steps out of the room, feeling he needs to let them have their moment right now. He’s had some of his moments, and he’ll have more later. But right now, this is about Mama and Bianca.

“You need to sleep,” Nico says. Will looks like a zombie with how little sleep he’s been getting. He’s up at odd hours comforting Bianca from her nightmares, comforting Nico from his. He’s having to use his powers to keep Bianca from fleeing at the slightest movement that frightens her, has to keep Nico from getting too angry. He needs an honest break.

“I can’t sleep yet,” Will says. Nico knows what he’s thinking. They’re far from clear, far from things going back to normal.

“Well, if you don’t sleep, things won’t be getting better,” Nico says. “So, I think you should sleep. We have some time now.” As worried about his mom as he’s always been, he knows that she can take care of herself. She’s strong, and for a while, she might have forgotten what she was living for, but now she knows. Nico’s reminded her.

“Will you tuck me in, then?” Will asks. Nico rolls his eyes. He leads Will into his bedroom, letting him borrow some clothes. He pulls the blankets up to Will’s shoulders. Before he can think about it, he’s leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Will’s cheek. “What was that for?” Will asks softly.

Nico blushes. “A goodnight kiss,” he says. Will’s cheeks bloom a brilliant pink, and Nico smiles.

“Can I get another one? For this cheek?” Nico rolls his eyes, but he leans down, pressing another kiss to Will’s other cheek. “Goodnight, Nico. Wake me up if you guys need anything.”

Nico nods. “And you sleep. I promise we’ll come and get you.” He’s not surprised when it only takes Will a minute or so to start snoring.

He goes down the stairs slowly, not wanting to disturb Mama and Bianca and Will. He can hear their voices floating softly through the house. As he gets closer, he can see them sitting on the couch together. It isn’t like it used to be, but it’s a step closer. Bianca’s back in their lives.

They’ve got court dates and testimonies and legal junk to wade through, but right now, the moment is just for the three of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's taken so long to update here, I've been binge-reading novels like crazy which doesn't leave a lot of time for writing haha but it's good to be back :)


	10. fairest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a snow white tale of sorts with Nico being the beautiful man and Will being the hunter

“I must have the hearts of every man in the land,” Queen Aphrodite mutters. Will stands there, his hands clasped before him. He’d been summoned to the court three days ago, and he’d just arrived. “One way or another,” she adds. “And this Nico di Angelo refuses my proposal.”

Will isn’t sure what to say. He knows of Queen Aphrodite’s husbands, of her lovers, of her enemies. All have met about the same fate. Maybe, it turns out, love and hate are not all that different. At least, in her eyes.

“So, your job is to bring me his heart,” the Queen says, turning to Will. Her eyes gleam rose gold, glinting almost like polished metal. Will resists the urge to bolt.

“His heart, Your Majesty?”

The Queen nods. “Yes, his heart. One way or another. Either he falls at my feet or he falls at the feet of death. But he has refused me one too many times.”

“How am I to do this?” Will asks. He’s a hunter, sure, but that mostly extends to wild game. He’s never hunted a person before. He wonders what he’s ever done to be qualified for this.

“With a knife, I presume. Or an arrow. I don’t care how it’s done. Just leave the heart untainted. I need it pure. Even if it has somehow resisted me.” She points a well-manicured nail at Will. His breath catches a little. “He is the most handsome man in the kingdom, and he refuses my hand. Soon, he’ll just be a cautionary tale.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Will says, bowing. Queen Aphrodite smiles at him, cupping his face close to hers.

“And if you don’t bring me his heart, I’ll just have to make do with yours instead,” she whispers. Then she pats his shoulder and sweeps out of the room. Even moments after she’s gone, Will can still feel the press of her nails into his skin. He represses a shiver as he makes his way down the halls.

His stomach is in knots at the idea of killing someone, but the alternative is death. Desperately, he tries to think of some other way that he could deliver a heart to the Queen without an innocent life being destroyed.

There’s only one person in the kingdom whom Will would dub the most handsome, though he doubts that he’d meet the Queen’s standards. Will smiles a little, thinking back to his childhood days of running through his mom’s gardens. There’d been a family next door with the cutest boy Will had ever seen. He thinks back, trying to remember the boy’s name. They’d never talked, just Will gawking through the leaves and trying to catch pieces of conversation that he could use to introduce himself.

He’s jerked from his thoughts when his horse abruptly stops. He frowns, realizing that they’ve come to a crossroads. Looking at his map, he remains focused for the rest of the journey, leading himself out of the nearest town and into the countryside. He’s never been to this part of the kingdom, his job usually hiding him in the forests. But the countryside reminds him of his mom’s gardens, and he feels a bit like he’s home.

He knocks on the closest door, an old man coming out. “I’m looking for Nico di Angelo,” Will says.

“Last house on this road,” the man says. His eyes are fixed on the royal crest, and Will nods. He bids the man a good day, noticing the way the man relaxes once he’s stepped off of the property. No one likes messengers bearing the royal crest. There isn’t usually good news.

He continues on down the road, keeping count of the houses as he goes. He gets to seven before the road ends. He dismounts, stepping up to the front door. He knocks, his heart beating. He still doesn’t have a plan, either to kill this man or to convince him to marry the Queen or to not kill him and also not die in the process.

A dark-haired man steps out. For a moment, Will’s taken back to his childhood, remembering that same shade of chocolate brown, those bright eyes, the long eyelashes. He swallows, not realizing that it was possible for his childhood to grow up with him.

“May I help you?” The voice is deeper than Will remembers, but the inflections and rhythm are the same. Will stutters.

“Are you Nico di Angelo?” Finally a face to a name, and he’s got to kill the man. Will thinks he has the worst luck.

“I am,” Nico says, his gaze glancing behind Will. Will glances back, watching with mild embarrassment as his horse noses around Nico’s small garden. “Am I needed for something?”

The way he says it tells Will that he’s been through this a handful of times. “Um, no,” Will says after a moment. Nico’s eyebrows rise as he frowns. Even the frown looks beautiful, Will thinks. “Well, yes. Kind of. I need you,” Will rambles. He pauses when he realizes what he’s just said.

Nico’s face turns red. “I’m not looking for marriage right now,” he says. “And I hardly know you.”

Will tries not to let that sink too deep. It’s his fault that Nico has no idea he exists. If only he’d been able to suck up some courage and actually talk to him, they wouldn’t be in this mess. “I meant,” Will says, pausing, choosing his words more carefully, “I am here to offer protection. There is word of a potential threat to your life.”

It’s partially true. Will’s sure that if he doesn’t deliver Nico’s heart in some particular time frame, she’ll just send another hunter after the both of them.

Nico shifts, looking right at Will. Will resists the urge to flinch or lean in for a kiss. “Well, I’m going to visit my sister today,” he says. “I suppose you can accompany me. But no funny business or I’ll have your head.”

Will nods as Nico fixes him with a glare. Nico steps back for a moment before inviting Will inside. Will glances back at his horse who is happily nibbling at Nico’s plants. Then he steps inside.  
-  
Nico’s not sure what to make of the man in his kitchen. He’s introduced himself as Will Solace, and he looks vaguely familiar if not completely awkward. Already, he’s knocked over two of Nico’s potted flowers and almost tripped over the rug. Not to mention that his horse was currently making a buffet of Nico’s garden.

“So, why you?” Nico asks as he reconsiders what he’s packed for this trip.

Will shrugs, turning away from the spice rack he was examining. “I don’t know. Could have something to do with the fact that I’m not really needed currently.”

“Bodyguards aren’t in high supply?” Nico asks. He looks at Will while he’s distracted by Nico’s laundry. He doesn’t look like much of a bodyguard. Most of the bodyguards he’s seen at the palace were much buffer and stronger and angrier looking. Will looked more like he was suited for gardening or a softer form of manual labor.

“I’m actually a hunter,” Will says. “Like, I kill animals for food. Only, it seems like everyone and their grandpa is a hunter nowadays. So I’m out of a job.”

Nico nods slowly. “Is that because you’re not very good?” He’s not trying to insult Will. He’s just not sure how he feels about having a bodyguard who isn’t very good at hunting.

“I’m decent. I’m just not the best. And the Queen must have the best.” He seems to be annoyed when he says this, so Nico drops the subject.

“Well, I’m sure we won’t encounter too many dangers. So we should be okay.” Will just nods. “Do you have things packed? The trip will take at least a few days. And you’ll have to make a return trip.”

Will nods again. They fall into silence as the journey begins. Nico saddles up his horse and leads the way. Will follows just behind him.

“Where does she live?” Will asks. “Your sister, I mean.”

“On the southern border of the kingdom,” Nico says. It’s at least a three day’s trip there if they don’t encounter any obstacles. He’d tried to go earlier in the year to ensure better weather, but Queen Aphrodite’s proposals kept coming in. And he was requested to refuse in person. Probably because she thought no one would be able to reject her if she were standing right there.

So maybe Will’s idea of a threat coming his way wasn’t all that absurd. The Queen wasn’t known for her even temper, especially when it came to matters of the heart. Nico lets himself lose himself in his thoughts. He can see Will try to say something a few times before biting his tongue. It’s almost cute if Will would just spit something out.

“Sorry to just barge in on your trip,” Will says after a long few minutes.

Nico shrugs. “So your plan was to just crash at my house or something?” Will shrugs.

“Um, I guess.” Nico feels like he should probably be a bit more concerned about his safety and the fact that Will doesn’t seem to have a firm grasp on what he’s doing. “I promise I won’t interfere with your family stuff or whatever.”

Nico nods. He doesn’t really mind Will hanging around. He’s been a bit lonely ever since Hazel moved across the kingdom with her now-fiancé Frank. He’s honestly not sure why she had to move so far away, but she did. And now Nico made this trip at least twice a year.

“It’s fine. Hazel probably won’t mind. She’s big on everyone being included in everything. So.” He looks back at Will who’s just nodding right now. On his horse, he seems a bit more sure of himself than he did in the house but not by much. He’s still fidgeting a little, making quick eye contact before darting away. And he keeps opening his mouth to say something and closing it. He’s starting to remind Nico of a fish.

“So, what about you?” Nico asks. “Are you missing anything important to escort me?”

Will blushes a bit at this. “Not really. This is probably the most exciting thing I’ve done all year.” He pauses. “Hiding in the woods isn’t all that fun.” He pauses again. “Because I’m a hunter. Of animals. Not because I stalk people or anything. Or am on the run.”

Nico snorts. “Yeah, I remember, Will.” Will breaks into a small smile at this.

“Right, right,” he says. “Sorry. I haven’t really talked to anyone in a while. Hunting is a bit of a solitary life.” Nico can imagine. He supposes that while he lives alone, he does spend quite a bit of time at the market, trying to find the right spices and ingredients for his cooking. He also trades for most of his income. So he has that at least.

“Why did you become a hunter?” Nico asks. Will seems like a social person, wanting to talk even if he can’t figure out what to say.

“Made money,” Will says. “I have a lot of siblings, and they were all doing things. And I was just at home doing laundry and cleaning up spills.” He shrugs. Nico was starting to wonder if Will’s main workout was shrugging.

“But why not something else?” Will shrugs. “Do you like hunting?”

“Not really. But it paid well. Until everyone else decided they could do it.” He rolls his eyes, and Nico smiles a bit.

“What would you rather do?”

Will lets out a long breath. “Probably garden or something. Something closer to nature. Growing rather than killing, I guess. Because I don’t really like killing. Not that anyone really likes it, you know.” He cuts himself off, slumping a little. “I’m really out of practice with this whole conversing thing. Sorry.”

Nico just smiles. “It’s okay.”  
-  
“So, we’re spending the night here?” Will asks. Nico’s setting up the blankets and things while Will’s building the fire. The day hasn’t been too busy, mostly just riding through the countryside. Tomorrow, they’ll hit bigger towns and have a chance to restock some of their supplies.

“Yeah, is this alright?” Nico asks.

Will nods. He’s still thinking about something that happened earlier today. “Does that always happen? Or happen a lot? The thing with the guys? And girls, I guess,” Will adds.

Nico frowns at him for a minute before waving him off. “I guess so. I don’t really pay much attention to it. Most aren’t quite as nice as they were today, though.”

Will feels himself get a little angry at that. “Not as nice?” They’d been leaving a small town when some random guy jumped on the back of Nico’s horse. And Will heard all of the whispered comments from the townspeople as they had ridden through. “That didn’t look very nice to me.”

Nico shrugs. Will sighs. He’s starting to think that he’ll have to fend off more wannabe suitors than hitmen on this journey. And, honestly, he’d rather fend off a hitman. At least, he knows what they want. He remembers how the women had ogled and how the men had made crude gestures. One lady had even run their fingers through Nico’s hair. And a man had grabbed Nico around the waist.

“But thanks for being a good bodyguard. I guess you have come in handy.” Nico smiles at him. “Honestly, I do get a bit tired of all of that. It’s the reason I live so far away from town. To get away from all of the suitors and whatnot.” He sighs.

“I’ve never had that problem,” Will says, trying to lighten the mood. “Not that I have low self-esteem or anything. Or that I’m looking for a boyfriend. But no one’s ever just thrown themselves at me.”

The fire crackles to life, and Will sits back on the blankets Nico’s set out. They eat the bread and dried meat they packed and take turns drinking the water. It’s comfortable sitting out here, much better than all of those lonely nights Will spent on the hunt. If he didn’t get anything that day, he wasn’t expected to return. You never returned empty-handed.

“There’s no problem in not having people basically kiss your feet. At least, then, you know when someone actually likes you. And not just for your looks. Because it’s not like I have that much money.” Nico laughs. “Or that much of an interesting life.”

“So you know?” Will asks. Nico looks at him. “That you’re the most beautiful man on Earth?” Nico blushes at this, turning away slightly.

“Surely not the most beautiful.” He pauses, swallowing some water. “You’re not too bad looking yourself.”

Will feels his face heat up, even though it’s not quite a compliment. He doesn’t say what he’s thinking. That even if Queen Aphrodite dubbed someone else the most beautiful, he’d disagree. Because, to him, Nico is the most beautiful, the most handsome, man. He watches Nico smile into the fire, trying to clear his thoughts.

“Thank you,” Will says after an awkward moment of silence. He wonders where they would have been if only Will had just been brave enough to talk to Nico when they were younger. He wonders if he wouldn’t be assigned to kill Nico, if he would be engaged or even married to him by now. After all, it seemed most people were married by Will’s age.

“So you’re saying you don’t have a lovely girlfriend waiting for you at home?” Nico speaks up.

“Never been into girls,” Will says. “And no. No one waiting for me at home.” Technically, the Queen was waiting, but he didn’t quite count her.

Nico gives him a sad look. “No family?” Will shakes his head, shrugging. He still kept in touch with his family, but they were scattered across the kingdom and didn’t really care too much about his hunting accomplishments. “Friends?”

“Not unless you count the animals or trees,” Will says. He knows he probably sounds pretty pathetic right now, but he’s not sure how to spin the story to sound better.

“Well, now we’re friends,” Nico says. “Even though we’re going on the journey together.” Will smiles at him, finishing off the last of his bread. The fire is keeping them warm enough that they won’t have to snuggle together, and Will pretends not to be slightly disappointed by this. He watches Nico curl up on the blanket so only his hair sticks out.

Will’s got the first watch, so he shifts so he’s slightly uncomfortable. He hums softly to himself to stay awake, trying to not get too engrossed by the soft sounds of Nico sleeping. He’s definitely too far into this to avoid getting hurt. After all, he does have to kill Nico and bring back his heart to the Queen. He still hasn’t figured out a way around it.

He winces at the thought of telling Nico and asking them to run away together. Both because he’s not sure Nico would like the idea of his bodyguard being an undercover assassin and because he’s not sure Nico actually likes him. So he keeps his mouth shut, trying to come up with a plan that doesn’t end up with either one of them dead.

“Hey,” comes a soft voice. “Sleep now. I’ll stay watch.” Nico’s sitting up, still curled up on his blanket, though. His hair is ruffled, and Will has to look away.

“Are you sure? I can stay up a little longer.” Nico shakes his head, smiling. He yawns, rubbing his eyes, and Will yawns back. He is tired, and he still has two more days of travel to get through. Two more days of protecting Nico’s pride.

“Good night, Will,” Nico says. And then Will’s out.  
-  
Nico’s lying on his back, his head pounding from where Will accidentally knocked it against a tree trunk. He’s trying to keep his eyes open, watching out for Will, making sure no one surprise attacks him, but it’s getting tricky. All Nico wants to do is stop the throbbing and just sleep. Except, he can’t. Because Will’s out there defending his honor right now.

It’d started with this woman whom Nico had assumed was just simply taking the same road they were. It wasn’t uncommon, and Nico preferred to take the known roads rather than risk flooding (and drowning) on the lesser taken paths.

The woman had been trailing behind them with a gentleman by her side. Nico had caught Will glancing back at them every now and then, but he wasn’t too worried. Other people traveled, too, and this was the last chance to go anywhere before the rainy season came at full force.

At one point, they’d stopped to rest and to let the couple go ahead of them. Only, the couple had also taken a rest. They had chatted with Will a bit before smiling at Nico. Nico hadn’t really been in a mood to chat, so he let Will do most of the talking for him, correcting him only when he thought it was necessary. He didn’t have to correct too much as he got the message that Will was simply making stuff up as he went.

“So, you’re a fisher?” the man asked. “What’s that like?”

Nico had merely shrugged. He knew almost nothing about what being a fisherman was like. Other than they probably smelled a lot like the ocean and fish. Will had answered for him, trying to steer Nico away from them. After the horses had sufficiently rested, the four of them set off again, Will pushing them a bit faster than they had been going.

“Why are we in such a hurry?” Nico had asked. The weather was fair, no sign of any bad storm approaching. And the people had been friendly. Aside from Will lying about almost everything.

“I have a bad feeling about them,” Will had said. “I don’t like the way that lady looks at you.” Nico had glanced over his shoulder then, giving the lady a small smile. She’d smiled back, waving. He didn’t see anything too strange about her gaze. Most women looked at him like that, and while it made him slightly uncomfortable, it hardly led to anything.

“They’ll probably get off at the next town. I think that’s where they said they were going,” Nico had reasoned. He hadn’t really been listening to their conversation, hadn’t really cared where they were going. But he wanted that tense expression off of Will’s face. He didn’t like how it wrinkled Will’s face, made it hard for him to smile.

They’d stopped for another break just before getting to the town. Will’s horse had a rock caught in their shoe, and so he’d stopped to take care of that. While Will was occupied, the lady had grabbed Nico’s wrist and pulled him into the trees. At his yelp, he’d assumed the man would be after them. But he’d merely smiled and waved before grabbing Nico’s other wrist.

Which led them to now. Will’s trying to defend Nico’s honor while also trying not to get them killed. Both the lady and the man seemed very skilled in combat, something Nico hadn’t seen coming. Unfortunately, he’s never been too good at defending himself. His main means of escape was to just run or hide. But it was hard to think straight when his head was pounding and Will’s athleticism was on full display.

He watches as Will’s muscles strain from his movements, trying his best not to drool when Will rips a hole in the leg of his pants. He’s pretty sure this situation should not be as romantic as it feels right now; he’s definitely never been wooed this way before. And then Will is whispering something into the lady’s ear, and she turns a bright red.

Nico feels a jolt of jealousy for just a moment. And then the lady is stomping over to the man, leveling her fists at him. Nico doesn’t have time to see where this goes as Will’s scooping him up and ungracefully throwing him over the back of a horse. The rhythmic stride of the horse doesn’t help his head.

He’s more than grateful when they stop for the night at an inn, sleeping on a real bed. The throbbing comes and goes now as Nico watches Will bustle around the room. He’s muttering to himself, running a hand through his hair, his eyes glinting when they catch the candlelight.

“Thanks,” Nico mumbles.

Will pauses, letting out a breath. “I told you there were dangers,” he says softly. Nico just shrugs, and Will smiles. “I’m glad I earned my keep.”

Nico giggles, tracing Will’s shoulders. He’s pretty sure it’s the head injury that’s making him so affectionate right now. He runs his hands over Will’s shoulders, down his arms. He can feel the muscles there, tensing and then relaxing under his touch.

“You know what?” Nico asks. He’s so tired, but he has to keep his thoughts in order. “You deserve a kiss.”

Will’s breath hitches. “Yeah?” he asks softly. Nico nods, smiling. Will’s so handsome right now in this light. His skin is golden, and his eyes are so blue. And he’s so close. So Nico just tugs him down slightly, pressing their lips together.

“You’re so handsome,” Nico mumbles again.

Will snorts. “You’re the one who’s handsome. And beautiful. So beautiful, Nico.” Nico flushes at that, kissing Will a few times more. Will’s hands are running through his hair, smoothing it back. It takes him a minute to realize that Will’s checking for injury.

“I’m fine,” Nico says.

Will shrugs. “I hardly doubt that.” He purses his lips for a moment, and Nico just wants to kiss him again. “I guess we’ll have to see. I’m not too much of a medic.” He smiles then, leaning forward to kiss Nico’s forehead. “Go to sleep, Nico. We’ll see each other in the morning.”  
-  
Will’s pretty sure yesterday was a dream. There’s no way that Nico di Angelo would have ever kissed him in his right mind. Except, he would, and he’s done it. So many times this morning that Will thought they were going to get kicked out of the room.

They’re on the road now, but Will can’t help but smile and blush every time Nico looks his way. And he’s more than delighted when he sees the blush on Nico’s cheeks. They don’t talk too much as they ride, Will too nervous and his mind too unfocused for more than a few words.

“I’ve realized something,” Nico says. “You’re much more eloquent when I’m kissing you.”

Will laughs. “I’m always good with words.”

Nico looks at him, rolling his eyes. “Whatever you say, sunshine.” Will’s face heats up at the nickname. Nico blushes back. “Maybe it’s just a way of me telling you to kiss me more.”

If Will could, he’d stop right there and kiss Nico senseless. Too bad they have to make it to Nico’s sister’s house before sundown. And they’d already gotten a late start. With only one break, they manage to get to Hazel’s house in time for dinner. She welcomes them in, smiling widely as she leads their horses to her stable.

“Nico! It’s been so long. Frank was worried that you’d decided to elope with someone.” Will’s not sure if that’s a joke or something Nico would actually do. “And who’s this?”

“I’m Will Solace,” he says. He smiles at her, glancing at Nico. “I, um, helped Nico here. Well, protected him, I guess. Not that he’s in any danger, though.”

Nico gives him a look. “Ignore him. We’re together,” Nico says. He takes Will’s hand, smiling. For a moment, Will’s not sure if Hazel’s going to hug him or punch him. Then she punches Nico’s shoulder.

“How long? Why haven’t I gotten any letters about this? I thought we promised to keep each other updated,” Hazel says. Nico lets her go for a few minutes.

“It’s just recent, actually,” he says. “I knew we would get here faster than the letter.”

Hazel huffs. “Well, you could have given me some notice. I don’t have two beds made up. Or enough food. I’ll have to go and get more tomorrow. But we should have enough for now.” She pauses. ‘Frank!”

Will shakes Frank’s hand. He remembers what Nico’s told him about Frank. How he looked clumsier than he was, that he is Hazel’s fiancé, that he is just slightly scared of Nico. He watches the two of them, noting how Frank seems less affectionate than Hazel.

“So, I’ve just made dinner,” Hazel says. “I hope you two like chicken.” Nico rolls his eyes at this, glancing at Will.

“I love chicken,” Will says. Nico pats his hand. They introduce themselves again as they eat dinner, detailing their trip. Will tries to leave out the part where the duo tried to steal Nico away to kill him, but Nico pushes right through it, telling how Will had saved him.

From Nico’s perspective, it sounds like a perfectly good and heroic deed. From Will’s perspective, it sounds trickier. He can feel Hazel’s eyes on him as Nico tells the story, complete with their first kiss that night. Will’s face warms, and he tries to cut in only to splutter when Nico turns to look at him.

“Anything I missed?” Nico asks, grinning.

Will shrugs. “Only how you refused to seek medical treatment this morning.”

Nico huffs. “I’m completely fine. I got here okay, right?” Both Frank and Hazel look like they want to protest that point. “Well, mostly okay. It’s just a bump. Will saved me from the worst of it. Whatever that was about.” Again, Hazel raises her eyebrows at Will.

So he’s completely expecting it when she corners him after dinner. Nico and Frank are out collecting firewood for their bonfire tonight, and Will got stuck doing the dishes.

“Just why were you attacked?” Hazel asks. “He makes this trip often enough that he hardly ever has any troubles at all. And most people understand what no means to leave him alone.” She’s practically glaring at him now, waving a wooden spoon at him like a weapon.

Will debates just how much he should tell her. He doesn’t want her to think that he’s a bad person or that her brother is in any danger. But he can’t just lie to her. He’s in a romantic relationship with Nico right now, and he also doesn’t want to jeopardize it.

“You can’t tell Nico,” Will whispers. Hazel’s frown deepens.

“You talk, and I’ll decide what I do or don’t tell him.” She crosses her arms.

So Will spills. Because he’s never been that great at saying no. Kind of how he got himself into this mess to begin with. “So, I’m pretty sure those people were the ones she sent to kill the both of us. Only, now they’re probably trying to kill each other. But I promise I don’t want to kill or even hurt him. I love him, Hazel.” And that part’s true. Because he’s always liked Nico, ever since they were kids. But getting to know Nico and being with him, he’s pretty sure he loves him now.

Her face softens for a moment. “You should tell him,” she says softly. Will groans. That’s the last thing he wants to happen. Because Nico means so much to him. He’s never wanted to be a hunter or to kill someone. He’s just wanted to do more than survive, fall in love, get married. “You should tell him you love him,” Hazel amends. “Because I”m pretty sure he’s mad at you.”

“What?” Will spins around to see the front door open, Frank standing in the doorway, eyes narrowed. “Where’s Nico?”

Frank glances at Hazel before looking back at Will. “Angry at you,” he says. He brushes past Will into the kitchen where he adds more wood to the fire. Will doesn’t have to turn around to know that they’re both unhappy with him.“I’m not going to ask you to leave, Will,” Hazel says. “But if you don’t fix this, I don’t want you in my house much longer.” Will races outside.  
-  
Nico can’t believe he’s been played like this. He thought he’d finally found a man who didn’t care how beautiful or handsome or however he looked. He thought he’d finally found someone who thought he was funny or smart or kind or all three of those things. And maybe Will did like those things of him. But he’d only bothered to find out because he was supposed to kill Nico and take him back to Queen Aphrodite.

Part of him says that Will doesn’t have much of a choice. If he was being honest with Hazel, there really was someone out there who was looking to kill Will, too. But it didn’t matter too much to Nico right now. Because it hurt that Will had been lying to get close to him, that Will had let him kiss him and hold him, and he’d never once breathed a word about having to rip Nico’s heart out.

He hears footsteps behind him. “If you’ve come to kill me, just do it,” he says. “You’ve already broken my heart.”

He hears a sigh, and then Will sits down next to him. “I never meant to. I wasn’t ever going to kill you. But I had to have some way of protecting you, Nico. And I knew you wouldn’t believe me if I told you to begin with.”

Nico glares at him. “Why wouldn’t I have believed you? It’s not like you lie to everyone. Even those other murderers you lied to. And sure you saved me from them. But is that any better?”

“Nico, you’re safe right now. And alive.” Nico shrugs.

“But if they’d killed me, I wouldn’t have kissed you. And you wouldn’t have broken my heart.” He knows he probably sounds dramatic, but it hurts. It hurts that the one person he put his trust in has broken it. It hurts that the only other option other than killing Nico was to pretend to like him. Was he really that worthless? Only good for his looks. “Do I mean anything to you?”

Will frowns. “Of course you do, Nico. I love you. I know you probably don’t believe me, but I’ve always had this big crush on you.” He pauses. “I used to watch you behind the laundry line in my backyard. When you and your sister would play outside. Not stalker-like. But just because I thought you were so cute. And you always came up with the most imaginative games.”

Nico raises his eyebrows.

“I wanted to join you, but I never had the courage to. And then I found out that I had to kill you. Because I was such a bad hunter than they decided to just dispose of me. Because no one’s ever gone through this much trouble for me. People don’t chase me down, run after me.”

Nico snorts. “And you don’t want people to, Will. No one cares about me. They just see what I look like. And I’m sure you see it, too.” He pauses. “You’ve never said anything other than how I look. You’re just like everyone else.” He wipes at his face, getting up to leave. “So, you can leave now.”

“No, Nico, wait,” Will says. He catches Nico’s wrist. “Look at me, please.”

Nico sighs. Maybe if he listens to what Will has to say, Will will leave after. “What?”

“Yes, I fell for your looks. Because you’re gorgeous. But like I said, you were so creative, and I loved your laugh. I like seeing you run the best, I think. Because you looked like you were flying. And now that I’ve gotten to know you, I know you’re sarcastic and funny and sweet. You’re sensitive and trusting, but you don’t put up with games you don’t want to play. And you care about your family.”

“Don’t flatter me just to stomp all over me again,” Nico says. He pulls his wrist away. “I know you can’t just break your word to the Queen. So just leave me alone if you’re not going to kill me.” Nico tries to walk away, but Will keeps following him.

“What can I do or say that will make you believe me?” Will asks. His voice cracks, and Nico refuses to let it get to him. It’s not his fault that Will’s upset. It’s Will’s fault for messing everything up. All Nico did was trust him.

“I don’t know, Will,” Nico snaps.

“So, me loving you doesn’t mean anything? Because I love you, Nico. Please believe me.”

Nico wants to believe him. But how does he know Will won’t just turn him in or stab him literally in the back. “Tell the Queen that you aren’t going to kill me,” Nico says quietly. If Will can refuse the Queen, he’s either insane or in love with Nico. “Tell her that we’re together.”

“And then what?” Will asks.

Nico turns around. “And then we live happily ever after.”  
-  
Nico’s hovering over his shoulder as Will writes his letter. The plan is that they’re going to arrive at the palace just after the letter does. Because Will knows Queen Aphrodite is going to need some convincing. And he feels like he needs to further prove that he’s not going to turn Nico in. He knows that both Hazel and Nico are a bit unconvinced at his plan, but he needs to prove himself. He can do this.

The three day ride back is quiet, Hazel’s threats replaying in his mind the whole way. And Nico’s hurt expression doesn’t help. They’ve tried to rekindle their relationship, but Nico’s slow to trust Will again. And Will’s trying to recognize the signs from Nico to know when he’s allowed to push and when he needs to pull back.

“Let me go in first,” Will says when they arrive. “I don’t want her to take out her anger on you first.” Nico just nods. He’s been quiet, only answering Will with the fewest words possible.

“You have my heart?” the Queen asks.

“Your Majesty,” Will says, bowing. He can see her eyes widen when Nico walks into the throne room.

“This is quite the surprise.” She grins. “Nico di Angelo. The most handsome man in the world. Have you come to accept my hand in marriage?”

Will sees Nico glance at him. “I trust you got our letter,” Will says. “We’ve already explained that we’re together. He’s not yours to take.”

Will reaches back, relaxing a little when Nico intertwines his fingers with Will’s. He pulls Nico as close as he’s allowed. He’s watching the Queen’s face carefully, hoping that he’s not about to die.Surprisingly, she smiles. “You two are cute together. That’s such a shame. I so wanted to kill you.” She purses her lips together. “But it wouldn’t be right of me to destroy something so obviously meant to be.” She makes a shooing gesture. “Get out of my sight before I change my mind.”

Will grips Nico’s hand until they’re outside and away from the palace guards. Then he’s ducking his head to kiss Nico on the lips. “I love you so much, Nico.” He pulls back. “Will you trust me?”

Nico looks at him, a small smile forming on his face. “You don’t have any other men in danger?”

Will shrugs. “Not that I can think of. Besides, I think I’m retiring from being a hunter. I might try and take up gardening, you know?”

Nico laughs. “Well, I happen to know a great gardener. Maybe he can teach you a few things.”

“Oh? What do I owe him for all of his knowledge?”

Nico grins. “I think a few kisses and cuddles might work.” He kisses Will’s cheek. “Per day, of course. Or per lesson.”

“Whatever you say, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I'm being so slow at posting things. Life and a lack of motivation keep getting in the way.


	11. building bridges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's from Italy. Will's from Greece. They meet in New York.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that this is at least somewhat realistic. It's hard to create intentional grammatical errors for languages I do not speak. Also, if there are any errors in translations, please let me know (and maybe how to fix it).
> 
> also, building bridges in the fic is a made up organization - since there are actual organizations called building bridges

Nico is vibrating with both excitement and nerves. He’d been to America before but never like this. Never without his parents or sister by his side and never with a bunch of other people he didn’t know. He grips the brochure and itinerary in his hands, reading it through once more to make sure he has everything committed to memory. The last thing he wants to do is get lost.

His pulse calms down a bit as the pilot announces that they’ve landed safely. After picking up his bags, he’s supposed to meet up with the rest of the group that’s arriving today. The brochure says that they will be taking a purple bus with the company logo on the side.

BB - also known as Building Bridges - was the organization. Nico had heard all about it in the years since his family had discovered it and then more after his sister had gone on one of the trips. She’d come back to Italy raving about America, the people, the architecture, the food. The purpose of the organization was to introduce people from many different backgrounds and ethnicities. This year, the trip was to New York, a place Nico had only read about.

Navigating the airport isn’t too difficult. The layout is familiar, and he remembers what Bianca had told him. He finds his luggage easily, struggling only a little to get it off of the moving conveyor belt. Then he stares at the signs, trying to figure out which one will lead him to the bus.

“Lost?” comes a voice behind him. Nico turns. He’s been told not to talk to strangers in airports, but he remembers seeing this guy also waiting for his luggage across the room. The blond hair is hard to miss, even in America where apparently everyone is blond. “I’m building bridges with you,” the stranger continues.

It takes Nico a moment to decipher the words and the meaning. He’s not used to all these different accents, and he’s definitely not used to conversing in English. “Building Bridges?” Nico asks. He has the tag on his luggage. The boy has one, too. The boy nods, grinning. He’s standing really close to Nico, close enough that Nico can now see his bright blue eyes and freckles. He’s also gorgeously tanned. “Bus?”

Nico feels a little embarrassed by his clunky English. Despite the hours of tutoring, no one prepared him to bask in the glow of cute boys. “Will,” the boy says. He steps forward before holding out his hand. Nico shakes it, smiling.

“Nico di Angelo.” Will smiles at him. Nico peels his eyes away to look at the itinerary notes again. “Here?” He points to the sign above them, pointing back to his paper. Will frowns at it, and Nico remembers that the itinerary is in Italian. Nico doesn’t know where Will’s from, but it’s not Italy.

They make their way through the airport, only having to ask for directions once. Nico feels pretty proud of himself when he spots the purple bus, two giant B’s on the side. There are some cartoon children holding hands just below it.

“Welcome!” A lady calls. She waves at them. They give her their names, putting their suitcases under the bus. Nico hugs his backpack close to him. “Sit anywhere you’d like. We’re only waiting for two more people.” She smiles at him, and Nico nods.

“Sit here? With me?” Nico asks, stuttering a little. Before he’d met this boy, he’d been prepared to amaze everyone with his decent English. Now, he found it hard to even make a decent sentence.

“Yes, please!” Will says. He lets Nico have the seat by the window before sitting down. He sets his bag on his lap, pulling out a bag of pretzels from the plane. “Hungry?”

Nico nods. He’s still trying to figure out where Will’s from. He’s not learned in all of the accents, and blue eyes and blond hair aren’t too helpful. He rolls words around in his head, trying to figure out the best way of asking. While he’s thinking, he’s distracted by an Asian boy getting on the bus.

“Hello!” Will calls. He holds out his hand, and the boy dips his head before shaking it. Will grins at him. “I’m Will.”

“Frank Zhang,” the boy says. Nico blinks at him. The boy had a slight accent, but Nico was pretty sure his English was the best out of the three of them.

“I’m Nico,” Nico says. It takes him a moment to hold out his hand. Frank shakes it. A girl gets on the bus, sitting across from Frank.

“Hey, guys. I’m Hazel.” She smiles at them, and Nico smiles back. He’s not usually one for meeting and greeting people, but he can tell that he’ll already like Hazel. She waves at them. Nico sits back in his seat. There are about ten of them on the bus, a nice small size. Some of the other organizations had bigger groups, but Nico liked the smaller group. Bianca said it was a good way to meet people and actually form friendships.

The lady steps on the bus, smiling. “We’ll be leaving in a few minutes,” she says. “In the meantime, feel free to introduce yourselves.” She pauses. “My name is Rachel. And our bus driver is named Gleeson Hedge.” Nico thought ‘Gleeson’ was a weird name, but maybe it was just a very American name.

“I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana,” Hazel says. “Way south from here. But I’ve lived a few other places as well.” She smiles.

“Vancouver, Canada,” Frank says. Nico nods. That explained why he sounded foreign but could speak English so well.

“Venice, Italy,” Nico says. “I go to Washington D.C. on vacations.” He’s not sure why he adds that last part, but he finds it important. The group nods.

Nico turns to Will to ask where he’s from when someone else gets on the bus. “Leo Valdez. Mexico.” He holds out his hands, grinning as everyone shakes them. He sits down behind Hazel, kicking his feet up on the seat beside him. “Though I also speak very good English.” He winks, and Nico has to look away.

“Um, I’m from Athens, Greece,” Will says. Nico feels a bit disappointed that Will’s not from anywhere he’s studied. He knows next to nothing about Greece, especially their language. “Hello.” He gives a little wave, and Nico thinks it’s adorable.

He has to look out the window to hide his blush. He came on this trip to see New York and America. He cannot be getting sidetracked by cute boys. Right?

“You’ve been in America before?” Will asks. “This is my first trip.”

Nico smiles. Even though he’s been to America before, it still feels like his first time as well. He doesn’t have his parents (who are fluent is several languages) there with him. And he doesn’t have his sister to stumble along with. Still, he’s not entirely alone now that he’s been introduced to at least half of the kids here. He has a good feeling about this week.  
-  
Will’s nervous. He’s been told that America is nothing like his home. The people are not as touchy. They do not hug or kiss or talk loudly. Instead, they shake hands and nod and keep conversations to themselves. Will’s not sure what to expect. None of his family has ever been to America. Their only information comes through the Internet and TV. And you can’t believe everyone on TV.

The people are quieter maybe, but the city more than makes up for the space. The cars honk, and there is so much construction. When people do talk louder, it seems different than it does at home. At home, the loudness feels familiar and intimate. Here, it feels like distance. He sees a man give a car a hand signal he’s been told never to make.

The bus ride is mostly quiet as everyone stares out the window. Will has to lean forward a bit to look around Nico, but he doesn’t mind. Nico’s so different from anyone he’s ever seen. Everyone on this bus is. He’s so used to seeing people he knows that it’s weird to not be dreaming.

Nico’s dark hair and eyes seem mysterious, and his tanned skin is different from Will’s. And Will can’t help but think about how cute his accent is. Nico has good English. Will wonders if it’s because Italian is more closely related to English than Greek. Everywhere he looks, he tries to see what he can read and understand.

“Would you like a snack?” Hazel’s voice shakes him from his thoughts. He turns to see her holding a bag of snacks out to him. He takes it, thanking her, even though he’s not really hungry. He grabs the first thing he sees, not wanting to be impolite. He taps Nico on the shoulder.

“Snack?” He works to make sure he gets the right s-sound. The thing he’s the most worried about is speaking. He knows that the group will be sticking together, so he won’t be lost. And he knows Rachel and Gleeson Hedge will make sure that they have everything they need. But he can’t let them do everything for him. He’ll have to order his own food, ask to use the bathroom, talk to the other kids around him.

At least, he thinks, they’re all in the same boat as him. Only Hazel seems to be perfectly fluent in English. Although, Will thinks he heard her tell Frank that she could also speak French. Will definitely didn’t know French. He turns to look back out the window, taking in all of the cars and buildings. He glances over at Nico.

Suddenly, he wants to ask Nico so many questions. But he’s embarrassed that he can’t think of the translations. He can’t just start speaking in Greek. Nico won’t have any idea what he’s talking about. He’s tempted to take out his phone and pull out a transition, but he feels that’s cheating. He needs to at least try.

He taps Nico’s shoulder. Nico turns to look at him, blinking. He smiles.

“Hi,” Will starts. He pauses, thinking about what he wants to ask. He and his brothers have practiced the simplest questions hundreds of times. “How old are you?”

Nico hesitates for a moment, mumbling something under his breath. “Sixteen,” he says. Will beams.

“I am sixteen!” he says. Nico shifts so that he’s facing Will better, his shoulder leaning against the window. He’s shorter than Will and slimmer. Will wonders if that’s how all Italians are or just Nico. His mind is bursting with questions, but he has to go slowly.

“Do you live with animals? Sheep or goat?”

Nico cocks his head to the side a bit, thinking. “We have dogs,” Nico says. He pauses. Will lets him think. He can hear Frank and Hazel chatting, and he wishes it were that simple. He glances over at Leo to find him sleeping. Will’s a little tired, too. He wonders if that’s because of the flight or because it’s about the time he’d usually be resting. As if reading his mind, Nico yawns, too. “Do you have pets?”

Will shakes his head. “Only goats. And a donkey.” Nico nods.

They continue to talk a little, Will making sure to keep his voice down. He thinks he might be a bit too quiet because Nico’s leaning close to him. Their shoulders are touching. At one point, he’s pretty sure Nico starts rambling in Italian about who knows what. And then Will forgets the word for grapes when telling Nico about his favorite food.

And it’s a good thing Nico doesn’t understand Greek at all because Will accidentally called him beautiful when Nico asked how he liked America so far. He’d blushed, but he was pretty sure Nico just thought it was because he’d spoken Greek instead of English.

“It gets easy,” Nico says when they stop to collect their thoughts. “The English. It can be hard sometimes.” Will agrees. It was hard to believe that so many people spoke such a complicated language. Hazel’s laugh rings out, and Will settles back against the seat. He’s tired from traveling, and he just kind of wants to lay down right now.

He looks over to see Nico leaning against the window, his eyes shut now. Will smiles. America was pretty, but Nico was beautiful. He yawns, trying to get comfortable in the seat. His leg brushed against Nico’s, and he paused to make sure Nico wouldn’t wake up. Then he falls asleep to the hum of the bus.  
-  
Their first destination is the Statue of Liberty. Nico’s so excited. He’s read so much about this trip, and now it’s finally coming true. He turns to look at Will as they pull into the parking lot. He can tell Will’s also excited. They walk beside each other through security, getting their bags checked before getting on a ferry.

“A fairy?” Will asks. He glances at the boat like it might fly away.

“A boat,” Nico says. Will frowns.

“They say ‘fairy tour.’” Nico smiles, shaking his head. He points to the brochure he picked up, pointing at the letters. He heard Hazel explaining it to some other kid while they were standing in line.

“It’s a kind of boat. A ferry.” Will’s confusion clears up a bit, and he smiles.

“I hate flying,” he says, and Nico nods. He smiles as they cross to the island where the Statue of Liberty stands. She’s so much taller in person than Nico ever thought she’d be. Green and majestic. Nico thinks he might cry. He pulls out his camera, taking at least fifty photos before walking around a little. They’re not signed up for the tour until later, so they can look around as they want.

“May you have a photo of me?” Will asks. He holds out his camera to Nico, smiling. Nico grins, taking a couple of pictures of Will. “Thank you.”

Nico nods. He walks around with Will, smiling when Will starts rambling in what Nico assumes is Greek. His voice gets louder, more confident, and he starts waving his arms around. He almost knocks Nico in the head, but Nico’s used to it. His family speaks with his hands, too.

Rachel gathers them together for the museum tour. Will looks a bit nervous about going inside of the statue, so Nico stretches his hand out. He decides he likes the feeling of Will’s hand in his. They head up the stairs after dropping off their bags and things. A tour guide shows them around the museum, explaining the history of the island and the statue.

Nico listens to about half of it. Some of it is hard to understand, but some of it isn’t as interesting as the way that Will makes Nico feel. They wander slowly around the room, watching how the statue was built. Will points at a few of the pictures, turning to Nico and smiling.

“Amazing!” he says. Nico agrees. He glances at the little robot that’s following the tour guide. Hazel and a few other kids are listening to him explain one of the videos.

“Hey, guys, check this out!” Leo says. He tugs them away from the group, leading them to the edge of the pedestal. Will’s mouth falls open a bit as he gazes out across the water. Nico’s stunned, too, wanting to take a photo before he remembers that he left his camera in his bag.

“Bellissimo,” Nico whispers. He’s already drafting a letter to his family in his mind. He tries to memorize the way everything looks from here so he can sketch it out for later. The rest of the group joins them there, spreading out as they also take in the sight.

The afternoon is for hanging out with each other. The group has rented one of the rooms in the hotel to hang out in. There are games and different activities for them to do with each other. Frank teaches them how to make an origami crane, even though he says the art of origami is Japanese. Nico attempts to tell them about his favorite dishes that his mama makes. And Will tells them a funny story about the time he lost his goat at the market.

They munch on a variety of snacks, some Nico likes and some he doesn’t care for. Some things he’s not even sure should be considered a snack. Right now, Nico’s munching on some pretzels. What he really wants right now is some gelato.

Will comes over to him, a piece of bread in his hands. “You writing letters?” Nico nods. Will produces a piece of paper from his back pocket. “I am also.” He unfolds it, smoothing it out on the table. “My English is not good like you.”

Nico blushes a bit. “I do many mistakes also,” he says. He gestures to his own paper where he’s crossed out a few things, jotted a few other things in Italian. He’s challenged himself to write his letters in English on this trip. After all, part of the reason they’re all here is to learn English. His father says immersion was the best way to learn, so he’s trying it.

“English is funny,” Will says. Nico agrees. It’s hard to imagine people being so fluent in a language that they’re struggling with. “Do you like America?”

Nico nods. “Si,” he says. “Yes.” He pushes his letter towards Will. “Want to read it?” Will smiles, nodding. It takes him a few minutes to read it, and Nico hopes he hasn’t made too many mistakes.

“Wow,” Will says. “Pretty.” Nico smiles.

They talk a bit more, and Nico thinks it’s getting easier. He’s becoming more comfortable around these other kids, and he’s definitely more comfortable around Will. It’s nice that they’re both struggling with English as Nico knows Will won’t make fun of him for messing up. And he absolutely loves hearing Will’s accent when he speaks and that confused look Will gets when he forgets a word (sometimes asking in Greek if Nico knows the translation).

When it was time to pick rooms the other night, Nico had chosen Will, happy when Will agreed. They had separate beds, but it was still nice to know that Nico wasn’t sleeping in a room with a complete stranger. Frank and Leo were across the hall, and Hazel was rooming with a girl from England.

Nico had listened to Will talk to his parents, the calming sound of Will speaking his native language washing over Nico. He wondered if he sounded that way when he spoke Italian. He hoped so. It was almost breathtaking how different and more alive Will seemed in Greek. There wasn’t any stumbling, and he seemed to end some sentences with a laugh. At one point, he had to put the phone on speaker because he was getting so excited.

Will had also introduced Nico, letting Nico speak a little to his parents. Nico had spoken English, knowing that Will’s parents didn’t know any Italian. They’d said something back that had made Will blush and stammer for a moment or so before he fired back at the phone.

Tonight, they stayed up as late as their bodies would let them, whispering back and forth to each other about school and vacations and dreams. Nico didn’t think he’d ever felt so comfortable with a stranger before, and he was getting used to drifting off to the sound of Will’s soft snores.  
-  
The week passed quickly. They went on a trip every morning and hung out together every afternoon. If they went in groups, they were allowed to go to Central Park in the evenings. They’d gone to the Met and to see the Frick Collection. They’d also taken the subway and gone shopping.

On the last full day, they went to the Brooklyn Bridge. Will’s pleasantly tired. He’s still adjusting a bit to the time change, but he’s been given time to rest and relax.

Will’s grown used to the vehicle-crowded streets and the bustling sidewalks. He’s even starting to understand snatches of conversation that can be overheard in restaurants or when they go to the parks in the evenings. He’s also proud that he’s done his shopping. He’s gotten a collection of postcards for his mom from all of the places they’ve visited. And for his dad, he’s gotten a keychain.

“Are you excited?” Nico asks. “It’s our last day with each other.” He smiles at Will, taking his hand. Will’s not sure if hand holding is something they do a lot in Italy, but he’s kind of hoping that it’s more than just a casual touch to Nico. Because as the week’s gone by, his affection for Nico has only grown.

“Very excited,” Will says. He smiles back at Nico, getting caught in his eyes for a moment. When he goes back home, he’s going to miss seeing Nico every day. Nico tugs on Will’s hand, and Will realizes he’s missed something. He glances at Rachel, wanting to ask what she’s just said, but she just smiles knowingly at him.

“I would never be able to make something like this,” Nico says as they stare at the bridge. The architecture is beautiful and grand, something Will would expect in a place like this. It’s surrounded by tall buildings that seem to reflect the sky. Cars zoom past them, and Will decides to take the outside. The sidewalk is wide enough, but he knows that Nico gets a bit distracted when sight-seeing, and he doesn’t want Nico to accidentally fall into traffic.

They get part of the way across before little goosebumps start appearing on Will’s arms. “Your freckles are bumpy,” Nico says, smiling. “Need my jacket?”

Will considers shaking his head, but he accepts. He is cold, and he’s secretly thrilled at the idea of wearing Nico’s jacket. And it smells like him. It’s a little snug on him, but he makes it work, taking Nico’s hand again. Nico grins at him, shielding his eyes as he gazes across the water.

“I can see the whole world,” he says. He gestures out in front of him. Will takes many pictures, sure he’s about to reach his limit soon. It’s a little hard to see the photos through the walls that have been put up, but Will’s also glad that he won’t be swimming any time soon.

Will and Nico pose for a photo together, Hazel grinning at them as she looks through the camera. She’s been sending Will glances every time he’s with Nico, and Will wonders what she means. She doesn’t like Nico also, right? He’s pretty sure that she’s got a crush on Frank.

“Hey, lovebirds,” Leo says. “You forgot your lock!”

Will looks at Nico in confusion. “We lock what?” Will asks. “I don’t have a key.” Nico seems to be just as confused as he glances between Will and Leo.

“Oh, there won’t be any locking this bridge,” Rachel says, coming up behind them. “It’s not exactly allowed anymore.” She eyes them for a moment. Will still has no idea what they’re talking about.

“What needs lock?” He looks at the other people crossing the bridge, trying to figure out what Leo’s talking about.

“It’s a tradition,” Hazel says, appearing. “That sometimes couples will bring locks here to symbolize their love.”

Will thinks he’s heard about that before. They don’t really do that in Greece, he doesn’t think. Or he’s never needed to before. He’s never been in a serious relationship.

“Love locks,” Nico says after a moment. He blinks, a blush falling over his cheeks. He glances at Will before looking away quickly. Will blinks. “It’s for couples.”

Will feels his face heating up now as he starts to understand what Leo’s talking about. Now that Leo points it out, he does see some locks strewn along the bridge. He’d just thought that they were part of the structure, little locks to hold things in place. He hadn’t realized that lovers put them there.

After that, Nico pretty much tugs him across the bridge. There’s a park there that they have lunch at. They’ve packed sandwiches and chips to eat, and Nico seems to have recovered from his embarrassment on the bridge.

“I do not mind,” Will says after a moment. “If we have locks together.”

Nico almost chokes on his drink. He looks up at Will. “No?” Will shakes his head, not quite understanding. For a moment, he thinks Nico’s confused. But he doesn’t have that cute little look that he gets when he needs help translating something or can’t remember a word. Instead, he looks like he’s trying to process something.Nico nods, taking a bite of his sandwich. He scoots closer to Will on their shared blanket. Hazel smiles at them. They don’t talk much while they eat, but they hold hands for the rest of the day. And Nico almost gets in trouble for picking a flower to give to Will.

It’s not until they’re getting ready to go to bed that night that anything happens. Nico’s just finished packing, and Will’s almost done. It’s hard to believe that this week went by so fast. Will had been worried that it’d move slowly with his stumbling English and nerves, but Nico made the time fly by.

“Thank you,” he says. Nico looks up. “You are my friend,” Will adds slowly. Nico grins.

“You are my friend also,” Nico says. Will feels his heartbeat pick up. He wants to kiss Nico suddenly, on the lips, like lovers. But they’re all leaving tomorrow. One girl even left tonight. And he might not see Nico again. And what if Nico only thinks of him as a friend.

“Will?” Nico asks. He looks slightly concerned right now.

Looking at Nico right now, his mind is blanking. He blurts out something he’s pretty sure isn’t English when Nico’s face scrunches up in confusion. “I want- I can- us.” He pauses, huffing. He just wants to ask if he can kiss Nico. “We are more friends. Extra friends,” Will manages.  
Nico tilts his head a little. “Good friends?”

Will shakes his head. “I like you,” he says. But those aren’t the words he’s looking for. Naturally, he hadn’t really learned how to confess his feelings for someone in English. He’d always thought he’d marry some Greek boy or girl and live there. He never considered falling for an Italian, someone who didn’t understand a word he was currently saying. “I want- you.” He pouts, grabbing his phone.

“I like you,” Nico repeats. He steps closer to Will, standing right in front of him. If Will leaned down, he would be kissing Nico. “I super like you,” Nico says. And then Nico kisses Will. He has to tug Will down a little, fumbling for his arms and then his shoulders.

Will smiles into the kiss, letting Nico lead. He’s not sure if the other boy’s ever done this before, but he doesn’t really care. He’s kissing Nico. And they are more than friends. Nico pulls back, blushing and stuttering.

“Sei bello,” Nico whispers. (You are beautiful.) Will doesn’t know what he’s saying, but he can probably guess it’s good.

“μου αρέσεις πολύ,” Will whispers back. (I like you very much.) Or maybe he’s shouting. He hopes that they’re making sense. But his heart is beating so loud, and his mind is blanking.

Nico writes something down, handing it to Will. Will smiles when he sees that it’s Nico’s number. Technically, they all have each other’s numbers in that phone app that Rachel made them all get. But he’s never texted or called Nico before.

“Thanks.” Nico reaches up to kiss Will’s cheek. Will’s pretty sure he can die happy right now.

He knows that they’ll probably have to figure out what happens tomorrow. But that’s tomorrow. Right now, they have the whole night to stay up and talk. They sit on Will’s bed, eyelids blinking heavily as they try to keep themselves up so as to not miss a minute together.

“Buona notte,” he hears Nico whispers. There’s something soft covering his hand. He wants to open his eyes to see if Nico’s fallen asleep, to make sure he won’t get cold during the night. But he can’t bring himself to wake up or even whisper. He thinks Nico might be humming a lullaby or a pop song, and it’s luring Will to sleep.

Good night, he thinks. Sweet dreams, Nico.


	12. fairytale ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico falls in love with a prince.
> 
> (not really a fairytale au)

Nico keeps his head down as he walks into the school. Even the doors are more lavish than anything he’s ever been able to touch. His uniform feels stiff and unfamiliar to him, even though he’s tried it on at least seven times already just to make sure that this is all real. He adjusts his tie before running an absent hand over the worn handle of his backpack.

“Hi, you must be Nico di Angelo.” Nico looks up, nodding. A prince of a man is standing in front of him. He’s smiling at Nico, holding out his hand. Nico shakes it. “I’m Will, and I’ll be your tour guide today.”

“Nice to meet you.” Will looks vaguely familiar, but Nico can’t quite place it. He’s definitely seen Will somewhere before, but he keeps getting distracted by that charming smile. As they walk through the courtyard, Nico notices the way that the other students treat Will. Everyone waves or ducks their heads. A few people call out to him. Will waves to them. From what Nico can gather, Will is very popular.

“So, this is the main building here,” Will says. “Most of your classes will be here. And then we also have the cafeteria down the east wing there.” He gestures grandly as he points out various locations and important buildings. They pass a statue of the founder of the school. “What’s your schedule?”

Nico hastily hands Will his schedule, carefully pinned to the inside of his notebook. The new school supplies had cost their family, but they didn’t want Nico to have to show up to school looking like he’d just rolled out of the gutter. Will hums as he looks at Nico’s schedule.

“We’ve got English together,” he says. “And you have some really good teachers. Well, they’re all good. But you’ve got some of the best.” He smiles again, leading Nico through the main building. “And here we’ve got the main courtyard. The playing fields are just behind the arts building there.”

Nico remembers some of this from poring over the map. Athens Prep was the most prestigious school in the area, and Nico had won the scholarship to attend at no cost. So, of course, he’d taken it. But that didn’t mean that he felt like he fit in.

Will walks him to his first class, grinning the whole way. Even though people call out to him, he doesn’t lose track of his conversation with Nico. Something about this makes Nico feel strange. He can’t remember the last person outside his family to pay him so much attention. Usually, he’s invisible.

“We can have lunch together if you want,” Will says. “Just until you start making friends or whatever. Or we can have lunch together every day.” He smiles, waving at Nico as he heads down the hall. Nico takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the next few hours.

He’s not so much worried about the academics as the people. He got top grades which is how he got the scholarship. He knows that Athens Prep will demand more of him, but he knows that he can go it. It just might be longer hours studying and more homework. He takes a seat in the back, watching as everyone comes in.

No one looks uncomfortable in their uniform. No one looks out of place. One girl sits next to him, smiling. “Are you new here? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

Nico nods. “Nico di Angelo,” he says. The girl smiles.

“Piper McLean.” She pauses. “I won the scholarship last year.”

Nico’s surprised to hear this as she looks just like the other students. He wonders if that’s how he’ll look in a year. He’s not sure he’ll ever feel that comfortable surrounded by all this wealth.

He settles into the class once the teacher starts the lecture. He’s determined to do his best so that he can keep his scholarship until he graduates. Only two years. And then he can continue his education or get a job. Both are promising if he graduates with a diploma from Athens Prep.

Nico only gets lost once when he tries to find his science class before lunch. He’d been heading in the wrong direction but some nice guy gave him directions. By lunchtime, he’s exhausted from his feverous note-taking and hungry.

“Nico!” Will calls from across the room. He’s already sitting at a table with a few people. Nico glances around before heading over there. He half expects it to be a joke, but there’s a spot right next to Will for Nico to sit. He slides in, hoping that he doesn’t smell like sweat. He’d checked earlier to make sure he hadn’t stained his shirt. “How was your morning?”

“It was good.” He goes into a little detail about his classes so far. He’s only got two more to go. English and a special topics class on Greek mythology that he’s excited for. He listens to Will and his friends talk to each other. He realizes he shouldn’t be so surprised when it feels almost the same as talking to people from his old school. He guesses he’d supposed they talked about how many cars they had or where they were going to go on fancy vacations. But they talked about homework and school and Will goes on about something crazy his sister had done.

“So, you like it here?” Will asks as they walk to English. Nico nods. “That’s good. Are you making any friends? I saw you talking to Grover earlier.”

Nico’s not sure who Grover is. Maybe he was the guy who’d given Nico directions earlier. Nico nods. He considers Will to be his friend. And he thinks Piper might become a friend. And he thinks of all of Will’s friends who seemed to let him into their friend group.

“Let me know if you ever have any trouble here, okay? Sometimes people are a bit snobbish,” Will adds. Nico nods. The rest of the day goes by rather quickly, and then Nico’s awkwardly standing in the parking lot, wondering if he should just walk home now or pretend that someone’s coming to get him.

He doesn’t get much time to consider because suddenly Will’s there, grinning at him. Nico ducks his head a bit to avoid being blinded (by both the sun and Will’s smile). “Need a ride?” Will asks. “I wasn’t sure if the bus went by your house. Just because most of these kids have rides of their own.”

Nico nods. He feels like this is supposed to be awkward, discussing his lack of money with a rich kid, but it’s not. Somehow, Will manages to make it all just sound smooth and pleasant. (Nico thinks that Will could probably read a nutrition label and make it sound interesting.)

The ride is mostly quiet. Will’s got a couple of siblings, apparently, but they’ve all got clubs or other rides arranged. Will doesn’t try to make conversation, just letting Nico fiddle with the radio as he gets directions. And, again, Nico feels like he should be ashamed of his small house, but he’s not.

“The garden is amazing,” Will says as he pulls up the driveway. “Man, I wish we had a garden like that.” Nico doesn’t suggest that Will could probably hire someone to just install a garden.

“It’s Mama’s,” Nico says.

“I bet the harvest is amazing. No one seems to care about fresh produce anymore.” He smiles at Nico. “See you at school tomorrow!”

And then he’s off.  
-  
Over the next few months, Nico gets used to Athens Prep. What he hasn’t gotten used to is the fact that Will is a prince. He’s not the crowned prince simply because he has two older brothers, but he’s the closest to royalty Nico’s ever been. He thinks he took the news well considering how he found out - during a school assembly. He’d been so surprised to see Will standing next to the king and the crowned prince, a paternal hand upon his shoulder. And then it had all clicked into place.

But that was one month ago, and Nico’s shock has mostly worn off. He still sometimes gets flustered when Will asks him for help in calculus or when Will wants to study at Nico’s house. Nico suspects the last one is because Will’s house is too full of other happenings. And Nico’s house is super relaxed in comparison.

“Mrs. di Angelo, these are amazing!” Will practically groans.

“Maria, dear,” Nico’s mother says. She’s long gotten over Will’s request to call him simply Will, and now she’s moved on to terms of endearment. “Or Miss Maria if you must.”

Will grins around his apple tart, closing his eyes for a moment. The apples were just finishing their season, so Nico’s house was full of apples. Luckily, Will loved apples, so he took home tins full of pastries and food. Nico could tell his mom was proud that she’d managed to impress a prince, and of Nico for doing the same thing.

After they finish their homework and Will finishes his fifth apple tart, they go to do some of Nico’s chores. Nico keeps insisting that Will doesn’t have to come along, that he can stay with his mom or even go home, but Will merely shrugs.

“It’s more fun with two people,” Will says. “Besides, you still do most of the work. I’m still a beginner.”

Nico starts by pruning the garden. With winter approaching, there isn’t too much that his mom hasn’t already taken care of. They wander through the orchards, picking any of the looked-over apples. Will takes a bite of one, smiling happily as he looks under each leaf.

“Maybe you weren’t meant to be a prince,” Nico says softly. Will turns to him in surprise, and Nico almost tries to take back what he just said. “No, I just mean-“

Will laughs. “No, I know what you mean. Honestly, when I was younger, I hated this stuff. Getting my hands dirty, eating vegetables. I wanted to be just like my brothers, studying economics and trade and geography. I wanted to go to school.” He pauses. “But I think in all of that, I missed all of this.” He throws his arms out wide. “The fun of just being a child, you know?”Nico’s never thought of his chores as fun, but he supposes Will probably didn’t have as many chores. And if he did, they were much different from Nico’s.

“I guess I can see the appeal. But just wait until the summer harvest. It’s insane.” Will laughs again, throwing his apple core onto the ground to compost. “Speaking of being royal, are you neglecting any of your duties being here?”

Will shrugs. “Not really. I’ll probably go into some sort of diplomacy when I finish school. So it’s good to know people, meet people. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Nico doesn’t point out that Will’s mostly getting to know Nico and his small family. But maybe he’s met everyone else already, however unlikely that sounds. “Also, I just really like it out here. Especially with you.”

Nico blushes at this. He’s not used to compliments. Sure his mom tells him he’s handsome and that he’s growing into such a nice young man, but it’s different coming from a peer, from Will.

“Are you allowed to say things like that?” Nico mumbles.

“I’m allowed to admire beautiful things. One of the great things about the world.” When Nico looks at Will, he’s pleased to see a blush creeping up Will’s neck as well. They finish out the rest of Nico’s chores in comfortable silence. Nico keeps sneaking glances at Will, and Will’s blush makes it to his ears. Nico wants to reach out and take Will’s hand, but he’s not sure that’s allowed.  
-  
Nico’s nervous. His hands are sweating, his neck is sweating, his legs are shaking. He thinks the most embarrassing thing he could do right now is faint. Or maybe throw up. Or both. He’s dressed in a suit even stiffer than his uniform (borrowed from Will), and he’s about to talk to a bunch of people.

“Hey, you’ll do great,” Will says, smiling. He adjusts Nico’s bowtie before squeezing his hand. Nico’s heart rate soars.  
“What if I drop my notes?” Nico asks. “Or if I pass out?” He’s never had to do this before. The most people he’s ever had to speak in front of was a group of about twenty. And they were just classmates. They weren’t diplomats and royalty and people with professional jobs.

“Want some advice?” Will asks, still smiling. Nico nods. He’d love some advice. “Just pretend you’re talking to me. I’ll be standing right there. Just look at me. Talk like you’d talk to me, okay? Everyone else isn’t important. Just stuffed animals at a tea party.”

Nico chokes out a laugh, imagining the king as a stuffed bunny, a teacup sitting in front of him. “Okay,” Nico says. Will squeezes his hand once more before he’s being escorted to his seat. Then it’s Nico’s turn. He walks onto the stage as the applause from the previous speaker dies off.

He adjusts the microphone, shuffles his notes, clears his throat. He bumps the podium with his elbow, stubs his toe against his heel. He hears a camera click. He hears someone else cough. He needs to focus. He tries for a smile, looking out over his audience. Then he spots Will. Will, who’s grinning back at him, who looks like he’s interested in anything Nico could possibly want to say, who has a little bit of chocolate stuck to his chin. Nico resists the urge to laugh.

From there, he doesn’t remember saying his speech, if he messes up or skips paragraphs. He just remembers Will’s smile, his steady gaze. Then he realizes he’s stopped talking when he hears the applause. He’s done it. He’s escorted off of the stage, the man giving him a firm pat on the back. Will somehow manages to sneak back to Nico.

“You did amazing, Nico!” he says. “Perfect speech. Everyone loved it.” Nico doesn’t know if it’s true or not, but he doesn’t care. Because he can tell Will liked it. And he’d only been giving the speech to Will, so the rest didn’t matter. “Are you hungry?” Will asks finally.

Nico nods. “Is there food?”

Will wiggles his eyebrows. “There’s always food.” He grabs Nico’s hand, tugging him down a hall. He runs through them like he knows every twist, and he probably does. They arrive in a large kitchen that Nico knows his mother would just love. “There’s an actual dinner, but it’s just a bunch of fancy food. This stuff is much better.”

He opens the fridge, pulling out sandwich meat and cheese. There’s freshly baked bread nearby, and Will cuts them generous slices. While they’re making their sandwiches, one of Will’s brothers finds them.

“Raiding the kitchen again, I see. You do know there’s a dinner, right?” Will just shrugs. “Though I suppose this food is more suitable to your palette.”

“This is Michael,” Will says around a mouthful of food. “He can be annoying, but he’s also super good at smuggling you food.”

“Will is the pickiest eater I have ever met,” Michael says. “I swear, he won’t even eat chicken some days.”

Will shrugs again. “What can I say? I know what I like and I stick with that.” Nico has to agree that it seems logical.

“And he wants to travel,” Michael says. “Shame they don’t just make turkey sandwiches everywhere.” Will glares at Michael, pretending to punch his arm. Nico wishes he had siblings he could have fun like this with.

“Aren’t you supposed to be giving that speech?” Will asks. Michael glances at the clock before cursing and running out. Will turns to Nico. “He may eat a lot of foods, but he’s hardly ever on time to things.”

Nico laughs.

The actual dinner takes place after all of the speeches are said and done. Everyone gathers around a large table in a very elegant room. Nico feels out of place even though he is dressed like everyone else. Even though he ate that sandwich, he is still hungry when the food starts coming out. He watches as Will picks off stuff, moving food around his plate to disguise what he’s not eating.

Nico likes the food, though some of it is too rich for his tastes. He doesn’t need to have six different flavors in his mouth at once. There are at least seven courses before they even get to something that looks like dessert. And then Will is clearing his plate.

“Dessert is my favorite,” he whispers. Nico rolls his eyes. He carefully selects his utensils, having had a crash course in fine dining from Will just an hour earlier. He’s just glad that he doesn’t have to observe everyone before following suit. He’s also glad he doesn’t try to drink the hand-washing water.

They crash later on Will’s bed, though it’s more like sinking into a cloud. Nico rolls over, pressing his whole body into Will’s mattress. “I need one of these,” he murmurs. “And just fill my whole room with it.”

Will laughs somewhere on the other end of the bed. “I love my bed,” he says. Nico fully agrees.

Nico rolls over, facing Will. “What would you do if you weren’t a prince?”

Will props himself up to look at Nico, his face suddenly serious. “I don’t know,” he says. “I’ve never not been a prince. It’s hard to imagine how my life would be different.”

Nico nods. “Do you want to do diplomacy?”

Will shrugs. “I work hard to be charming and funny and kind because that’s what everyone expects. But also because I want to be remembered for something more than just being a prince. Titles never got anyone anywhere. They’re just like names. I’m William Solace, Prince, but what does that even mean? My brother’s a prince, and we’re so different.”

Nico scoots closer to Will, his heart skipping a beat when Will lays his head on Nico’s shoulder. “Do you like it?”

There’s a lot of silence before Will answers. Nico thinks he’s fallen asleep. “I think I’d like to be a gardener. Or a farmer.” It’s completely the opposite of what Nico thought Will would say, he almost laughs. But then he thinks about Will standing in Nico’s family’s fields, how alive Will seemed. How unperformed and undocumented.

“I think you’d make a good farmer,” Nico says. “Would you get cows?”

Will hums. “Cows are smelly. But they are pretty cute. How about some of those Scottish Highland cows?”

Nico does laugh now, and Will joins him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen them.”

Will makes a gasping noise, immediately pulling up photos on his phone. Nico had to admit that they are a bit cuter than regular dairy cows he’s seen. When Nico pulls back, he realizes just how close he’d been to Will. Will’s curls had been tickling his cheek, his freckles brushing over Nico’s skin.

“Nico,” Will says softly. “May I kiss you?” Nico makes the smallest of nods before Will’s gently pressing forward, his lips touching Nico’s. He kisses like he’s practiced before, but Nico somehow doubts that Will’s kissed a lot of people. Will’s hand fumbles against Nico’s arm before coming to rest just underneath his ear. The kiss is a little messy, neither of them quite falling into a rhythm yet.

“Might need some practice,” Nico says, wiping his mouth as he pulls back. Will giggles, nodding.

“Probably.” He smiles, his blush already staining his ears. “Shall we?”  
-  
Nico sighs, just glad to be back in his own bed and away from everyone. He isn’t ungrateful for everything he’s suddenly been given, but it’s a lot at once. He lays down on his bed, shutting his eyes. When he opens them again, his mom is standing in the doorway.

“Another meeting?” she asks.

Nico shrugs. “More like a lesson, I guess. I don’t know how Will does all of this. Though I guess he’s never known any different.” His mom sits on his bed, hugging him close. “It’s all so exhausting. I’m just glad school’s out for now. But I don’t know what I’ll do when it starts again.”

“One day at a time,” Mama says gently. “I know you can do it. And if you don’t want to, I’m sure they’ll understand.”

Nico sighs. Part of him wants to do it for Will. Because he knew he was getting into this. He and Will had discussed it a lot before making their relationship official a few weeks ago. But he hadn’t quite expected this. The other part of him wants to do it for himself. To prove that he’s capable of this.

“I haven’t figured out if I like it yet, either. Or it’d be so much easier to decide.” He finds the lessons interesting, the meetings a little tedious but still sometimes intriguing. He just thinks that there could be less of them. HIs social calendar is suddenly full, and he’s not sure how he’ll be able to do this with school and homework and just resting. And he still wants to be able to help his mom around the house.

“Have you talked to Will about it?” Mama asks. “I’m sure he could help you figure out some things. And he’s been very helpful around the house.” She smiles. Since Nico’s off doing royal stuff, Will’s been helping Mama with the cooking and cleaning. Apparently, he’s taken quite a liking to the kitchen.

“I know. But I don’t want to bother him with it. He’s already said I can drop the whole thing if it’s too much. But what would that mean? I don’t want him to have to drop his whole life for me?” Though he’s not sure Will would be all that opposed.

“But aren’t you doing that for him? Pushing yourself through school, trying to figure out how a country works, going to press conferences?” Nico shrugs. He supposes he is. And sometimes Will’s with him. But sometimes Will’s not.

“I guess. But it just seems different. Because Will’s royalty, and I’m not. I’m the farmer who’s dating a prince. Like in those fairytales. And the soon-to-be princess didn’t just say no.”

Mama smiles. “They also didn’t have much of a choice. But you do. Has Will ever once said that he wants to make you royal? That he wants you to do all of this?” Nico shakes his head. Will had just kind of implied that it’d be easier. “And Will’s not taking the crown, so that should be less pressure on you.”

“But isn’t this what couples do? Make sacrifices and compromises?”

Mama nods. “They do. But to benefit their relationship. Not to please one another or to try and get ahead. And no choice is made alone. It may be yours in the end, but Will’s influence is not independent of your choice.”

Nico nods. “I know. It’s just hard, I guess. I don’t know what to do.”

Mama kisses his cheek. “I think you should talk to Will. You like him, right? You want to make this work.” Nico nods again. “So, then, he needs to be part of this conversation, too. Because you’re not the only one who has to compromise and make sacrifices. He can make them, too.”

Nico sighs. When did his life get so complicated?

It’s a few days later when he goes to talk to Will. He’s tried to sort out most of his thoughts before he went, just because Will always seemed so put together. He didn’t want to look like he was just stammering through it. He finds Will outside, just laying on the ground.

“Hey,” Nico says softly. “Can we talk?”

Will’s eyes open, and he looks at Nico. “Um, yeah, sure.” He scoots over so Nico can lay down, even though they’re in a giant courtyard. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Everything, I guess, in a way,” Nico says. “Just all of the changes and whatnot.”

Will turns over to face Nico. “Is everything okay? You know you don’t have to do more than you want. Or is it the press? I can tell them to leave you alone again.”

Nico shakes his head. “No, it’s not exactly that. It’s just I’m not sure this is what I want.” He pauses. “Like, it’s all so amazing. But it’s not for everyone. And I don’t think it’s for me.”

Will’s nose wrinkles a bit, and Nico’s confused. “Wait. Like our relationship?” he asks after a moment. “Do you not want to date? I’m sorry if you felt pressured. We can do this slower. Or if you don’t want to kiss or whatever. We can work something out.”

Nico smiles, shaking his head. “Not that, Will. I’m perfectly happy with our relationship. And I love kissing you.” His cheeks warm. “I meant the other stuff. The me learning economics and diplomacy stuff.” Will nods slowly. “I think it’s interesting, but it’s not something I want to do.”

“What do you want to do?” Will asks. And Nico can tell there’s no pressure to the question.

“I don’t know yet,” Nico says.

Will nods, smiling softly. “But you know what you don’t want to do, right?”

“Right,” Nico says. “I just hope that’s okay? I know your parents have done a lot of stuff so I could.”

Will sits up. “It’s okay, Nico. I told you when we started. You’re not bound to this.” He pauses. “And I’ve already told you this isn’t what I really want to do. So maybe we should run away?”

Nico raises his eyebrows. “What? Will, we can’t do that!”

Will laughs. “Okay, so maybe not run away. But if my father doesn’t let me get a Highland cow, I’m moving the moment I graduate.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “That sounds like something someone very rich would say.”

Will snorts. “Well, that’s probably because I am very rich.” He pulls Nico in for a hug. “I’m really glad I met you, Nico di Angelo. I’m pretty sure without you I wouldn’t have found my true calling to be a cattle farmer.”

“You haven’t even touched a cow, I bet,” Nico says.

“Or maybe I have,” Will counters. “You don’t know what I do when I sneak out of meetings. Maybe I go and stand in fields of cows. And sometimes pet them.”

Nico laughs. “Right, of course.” He pulls Will in for a kiss, still smiling. “So, we’re on the same page?”

Will nods. “You’ll still have to do some things. Just because you won the scholarship and you are dating me, but everything else you’re allowed to say no to. Except for owning a cow. Because that’s part of the package deal. Get to kiss Will, get to own a cow.”

Nico laughs again. “You’re absolutely ridiculous, Will,” he says. Will’s eyes crinkle with his smile, delight in his eyes. “And I like you so much. Will you kiss me again?”

And Will does.


	13. treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's a pirate that falls in love with a merman. They are very handsome. (Technically, they're still demigods, too.)

“Anything yet?” Percy asks. Nico sighs, shaking his head. Percy’s asked this same question every four minutes. Nico’s starting to wonder if Percy’s just making up this whole thing about treasure as an excuse to extend their voyage. Though, they’ve already stopped to restock their supplies, so Nico shouldn’t be complaining. He’s got nothing waiting for him on land, so he might as well sail around for a while longer.

“You’d think he’d be better at this,” Hazel whispers to Nico. “After all, he’s been a pirate for at least ten years.”

Nico shrugs. “But part of those years were under his father’s reign. So, he’s never had to actually steer the ship.” Hazel giggles at this. Percy’s at the front of the ship, pointing to something off in the distance. Nico doubts he’s actually pointing to something, pretty sure Percy’s just imitating what he knows of pirating from picture books. “Though he’s pretty useful in avoiding storms.”

Around here, it’s Annabeth that does the sailing. Percy just directs their course. Nico thinks it’s because he has too many coordinates in his head and is too distracted to pick out which one is the right one.

“I don’t really mind sailing, though,” Hazel says. She’s grinning at him, her curly hair loosely tied back so that it still flutters in her face. The bandanna is a shocking red against her brown skin. Though there haven’t been any problems lately, Nico still regrets asking her to sail with them. He was supposed to protect his younger sister, not set her up for a life of pirating.

“I felt something a few days ago,” Hazel says, “but now it’s just kind of still. Like we’ve sailed away from it.”

“Maybe he's forgotten what we’re searching for,” Nico says. He’s forgotten what they’re searching for, knowing only that it’s some kind of hidden treasure with no map to guide them. Only through Hazel are they able to chart the course, and it seems that Percy’s steered them awry.

“Well, he’s having fun, anyway. Besides, he is a good sailor. He’s just bad at following directions.” Nico has to agree with that. Despite Percy constantly drifting them off course and extending their voyages, he was fun to be around, and he knew the sea like the back of his hand. He just had trouble remembering that they weren’t all on his ship for a joy ride.

“Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth calls out. “I think we’re headed too far southeast.” She’s up top, a spyglass held to her eye. “I’m pretty sure we should be on the other side of the approaching land. Or not even be able to see it.”

“Aye aye, Captain!” Percy calls back. He grins in the way that tells Nico he’s in love with Annabeth and the sea. Nico wishes he could have someone look at him like that. All he’s ever gotten was a mildly disgusted look from a fish back when he first started sailing and hadn’t quite gotten his sea legs (and stomach) adjusted.

“Should we stop and ask for directions?” Annabeth calls back.

Percy shakes his head. “No fun in that. Just tell me which way to steer.” Nico can’t see Annabeth’s expression, but he bets that she’s rolling her eyes. It takes a bit for them to reset their course, and then Hazel’s eyes light up.

“I feel it!” she calls. Percy sends her a thumbs up, beckoning her to him. Nico gives her a smile before heading to the back of the boat. He’s not so interested in the treasure as he should be. After all, he is a pirate. And pirates want treasure. But gold isn’t the kind of treasure that Nico’s searching for.

It’s a bit of a romanticized idea, so Nico hardly shares it with anyone. But he’d kind of been hoping that if he sailed around with Percy, he’d meet someone. And then convince them to sail with him. Or he’d stay wherever he found them. They’d work that part out later.

“One of these days, Percy’s going to sail us right over the edge of the world,” Reyna says, grinning. She tips her hat to him, leaning her elbows on the rail. “Of course, he’d be thrilled about that.”

Nico laughs. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to get off at the last harbor.”

Reyna shrugs. “Thought I might visit my sister if we ever make it that way,” she says. Nico doesn’t point out how improbable this is. There is a chance they’ll sail by her, but there’s also a big chance that they’re just sailing in a giant circle. Reyna turns to Nico. “You do know that’s just an excuse I made up. You guys are my family now, and no matter how crazy and annoying, I wouldn’t walk away from you.”

Nico snorts, not ever sure what to do when Reyna gets sentimental with him. He thinks of the crew as his family, too, but he doesn’t ever say it. Pirates are not known for sharing their feelings, and Nico’s not going to start the trend.

“So, what about you?” Reyna prompts. “Hoping to meet the guy of your dreams this go round?”

Nico hopes he’s not blushing. “Well, it’s not like I stayed to look at the same ocean I’ve been seeing for the past two months.” Reyna laughs at this. “But, all things considered, it wouldn’t be awful if I happened to meet a cute guy. Though it’s not like they’re just going to pop out of the ocean.”

Reyna shrugs. “You never know, Nico. You’ve heard the legends. Don’t tell me that there aren’t creatures in this water who might find you handsome.”

Nico raises his eyebrows. “And then eat me,” he says. “Oh, I’ve heard plenty of stories. Though, I’d watch your back. Most of them are about fair maidens.” Reyna snorts.

“I think you’re more of a fair maiden than I am,” she says. Nico does blush at this because he can’t deny it. He knows Reyna’s had flings with people in places they’ve stopped to explore or refuel and restock. He knows they never last. Which is why he doesn’t do it. Because he wants something lasting.

“Fine. But if we meet a cute guy, I get dibs. Okay?”

“Sure, deal.” They shake on it. Before she goes below decks, Reyna winks at him.  
-  
Nico’s awoken in what he assumes is the middle of the night. He’s less than pleased as he’d been promised a full night’s rest and he’d yet to have one. There was always something going on that required his attention. This time, it’s Hazel calling for Nico, banging on his door. (He is known for being a heavy sleeper, and no one really wants the job of waking him up.)

“What’s it?” Nico asks, rubbing his eyes. Hazel just makes a hurried motion before running back up the stairs. Nico sighs, following her. No one better comment on his skull and crossbones boxers or they’re going to get tossed overboard.

“Nico! Thank the gods!” He’s pulled quickly into the mess, though it’s hard to tell what the mess is with all of the flashlight beams pointing seven different ways.

“Is he dead?” Hazel asks softly. And then Nico realizes he’s looking at a human. No, a fish. A fish human? Gods, Nico’s so tired. A merman, his tired brain finally supplies.

“Um, no,” is all Nico can say. Because this merman is gorgeous. Even in the dark of night, it’s clear that he’s breathtaking. He’s all tan skin, freckles dotting his shoulders and cheeks. His hair is a golden color, wavy curls. Nico’s eyes scan his torso, smooth and toned. And then his tail. While Nico never thought of himself as being attracted to fish, there’s definitely something alluring about this man’s tail. It’s an iridescent blue, the scales all perfectly aligned. “He’s not dead.”

“Gee, thanks, Neeks,” Percy says. “That was kind of already decided.”

“He seemed to be hurt, and we were wondering if you could help him,” Annabeth says calmly. Nico looks at her. He’s not exactly the ship’s medic. In fact, they don’t really have one. Which is a bummer since they all tend to get themselves into more trouble than they should.

“Fine, just untie him or something. He looks uncomfortable.” The merman is looking at them with wide eyes, blue like the ocean on a clear day. He’s glancing between all of them, holding himself up with toned arms. Nico has to look at his sister to clear his mind.

When the merman is untied, they all step back to give him some space. And then Hazel gasps. Nico had noticed the chafing around the wrists, but now it’s gone. No more rope burns. His skin glows with health. Nico glances over at Reyna. She’s remained quiet this whole time.

Her look tells him that they’ll talk later.

“What are we doing with him?” Nico asks. He can’t believe they just caught some sort of self-healing merman. He knew he shouldn’t have trusted Percy alone on night watch, but he was so tired.

“Well, we can’t exactly just let him go,” Percy says. “He knows where the treasure is.” At this, all eyes point to Percy.

“Have you spoken to him?”

Percy shrugs. “Sort of. I saw him and asked. Like asked for directions. And then I couldn’t hear him, so I pulled him up. He got caught in the net by himself,” Percy finishes.

“He looks cold.” Now that Nico’s vision is adjusting, the merman’s skin looks like it’s tinged a slight blue. Nico’s not sure if that’s just a reflection from the water or the scales, but it’s kind of (super) pretty.

“So, you thought kidnapping a merman was the best way to find the treasure?” Annabeth asks. Percy nods. He looks rather pleased with himself. “And where did you think we’re going put him? We don’t exactly have a fish tank, and I don’t think we can convince you to drop him back in the ocean.”

“I have legs,” a voice says. It’s accented and deep, and Nico’s in love with it. They all turn to look at the merman. “I need them?”

“Yes,” Percy says. “Please.” His voice takes on a slight accent, and Nico wonders if Percy even realizes. Of course, he was gifted with being able to talk to the sea. Maybe that extends to the sea creatures.

They all watch in both horror and fascination as the merman winces. It seems painful, but none of them can tell him to stop. His scales disappear slowly, and the tail parts. The whole thing seems so seamless if it weren’t for the slightly pained expression on the merman’s face. Nico feels almost bad.

“Good?” the merman asks softly.

“Excellent,” Percy says. “Great. Now, what’s your name?”

“Call me Will,” the merman says after a moment. Nico smiles. No one’s mentioned how incredibly hot Will looks. And the fact that he’s naked. Hazel’s turned away. Everyone else is making it an art to not look directly at Will. Nico’s glad it’s dark because everyone would be able to see his blushing cheeks.

“Will, this is everyone.” Percy makes a grand gesture to show everyone on deck. “Nico, Annabeth, Reyna, Hazel. I’m Percy. The captain of this ship.” He wiggles his eyebrows a bit, and Will looks confused.

Percy turns to Nico. “Nico, why don’t you show this gentleman- gentle-merman?- to his bed. He’ll be bunking with you for now.”

“Why me?” Nico asks. He’s pretty sure his cabin is unfit for company in its current state.

“Well, he can’t room with the girls, and Annabeth’s currently in my extra bed. So, you’re the only one left.” Nico’s pretty sure there’s another reason for this injustice, but he’s too tired to argue right now. “So, go on. Be nice. I’ll even let you sleep in.”

Nico grumbles under his breath. He knows he’ll be woken up for breakfast and his usual watch, so there won’t be any sleeping in. Especially since he’s up now. Hazel offers him a sleepy goodnight. Percy heads to his watch spot. Annabeth goes with him. Reyna just smirks.

“Think you can handle this?” she asks. Nico can tell she’s teasing, so he nods.

It takes a bit of work to get Will to Nico’s cabin. He’s unsteady on his legs which is understandable, so he has to lean heavily on Nico for balance. Not that Nico minds. Will smells of the sea, a scent that’s so intoxicating coming from him that Nico almost falls down the stairs.

“Are you okay?” Will asks.

Nico nods. “Just dandy,” he says. Will looks confused, but Nico doesn’t elaborate. He pulls a sheet over the extra bed (that had previously been storing all of Nico’s weapons) and gestures for Will to lay down. Will casts a hesitant glance towards the door before doing as Nico says. Nico hands him a blanket.

“You good?” Nico asks.

“I’m good,” Will repeats, though he still looks uneasy. Nico hopes he won’t turn into a fish and flop around his cabin. He really wants a good sleep.  
-  
Nico wakes up to a thump. He jumps out of bed, ready to attack whoever it is when he meets Will’s apologetic gaze. Now, with the morning light streaming through his small window, he can almost fully appreciate Will. Little patterns like scales decorate parts of his neck and arms, his sides. He’s still naked, not bothering to cover himself up.

“You need clothes,” Nico says. Will’s mouth makes an O shape as Nico hands him things. His cabin smells overwhelmingly like the ocean, no longer the stale smell of clothes that won’t dry and people who don’t always shower.

Nico sighs as he has to help Will get dressed, hyperaware of every inch of skin that touches between them. Will’s hands grip Nico’s arms, strong and cautious. His eye contact is throwing Nico for a loop. He almost reaches up to touch Will’s hair.

“Are you hungry?” Nico asks. “I don’t know what you eat. But we’ve got some bread still. And fruit. Though pretty soon we’ll be eating dried meats and whatnot.”

Will just nods, probably not sure how to explain that he doesn’t have bread underwater. Nico doesn’t bother changing clothes as he helps Will down the hall. There is no formal breakfast, so Nico pulls out stuff from the crates, handing it to Will.

Nico notes that Will’s teeth are sharp, probably to eat fish and whatever else is down there. He wonders if Will could kill someone with his teeth. He decides not to ask. They eat in silence, Will picking at his dried fruit. But he devours the bread. Nico gives him more. The bread needs to be eaten in two days anyway.

“So, you know where the treasure is?” Nico asks.

Will nods. “The ancient treasure. Yes, I know it’s location.” He still seems unsure. “It is hard to find. Many difficulties. I have never seen it myself.”

Nico nods slowly. “What is it exactly?”

Will shrugs. “Some think it is books. Humans imagine it to be gold and silver. Long-lost statues and ships.” He pauses. “I think it might be paradise. Like Atlantis.”

Nico wonders if Percy knows what he’s getting into. Nico’s not sure what else to say. He’s always been rather speechless in the presence of beautiful men, and Will’s beyond gorgeous. Nico wonders if all merman and mer-people look like this.

“You are staring. Did I not transform right?” Will cocks his head to the side, and Nico wants to kiss him.

“No, you look fine,” Nico stutters.

“He means to say you look handsome,” Reyna says, appearing in the doorway. “Missed breakfast when someone didn’t show up for their shift,” she adds.

Nico should be guilty, but he doesn’t feel like it. “Ignore her. She’s always teasing me.”

Will glances between them. “Is this a human courting ritual? We have something like it where I’m from.”

Reyna laughs as Nico sputters. “No, this is not a courting ritual. Reyna and I are friends. Just friends. More like brother and sister.”

“My apologies,” Will says. Now he’s looking right at Nico. “So, you are not courting anyone?”

“Will, sweetie, Nico is in desperate need of a boyfriend.” She winks at him as she heads out. “Come upstairs soon. Percy’s trying to reset our course again. Says he needs Will’s help.”

Nico groans. Maybe he should have gotten off of the boat when he could’ve. He takes Will upstairs when Will’s done with his bread. Percy must have written out a list of questions for Will instead of sleeping last night because as soon as they get up there, Percy’s bombarding Will.

“Gee, let him have time to breathe,” Annabeth says. She glances at Will. “Only answer what you want.”

Will nods, looking at all of them. Nico thinks he’s infinitely more gorgeous in the daylight, his freckles and tan more pronounced, his eyes reflecting both the ocean and the sky.

“I am a prince,” Will starts. “So the treasure if my family’s, my kingdom’s. I do not guard the treasure, so I have never seen it. And it is forbidden to speak of what it is for fear of greed and mutiny. But I know where it is, though it is against my oaths to lead anyone directly to it. You must speak with my father.”

Percy nods. “So, if you don’t guard it, what do you do?”

Will smiles at this one. “I am the medic. I am trained in the ways of medicine and healing. I am very skilled and can treat almost any injury and disease, though I have not cured death yet.”

“Oh, well, Nico can do that, so we’re good,” Percy says. Will’s eyes turn to look at Nico, wide.

“I can’t heal death, Perce. I can only reanimate them. It’s a bit creepy, honestly,” Nico says. “And there’s hardly any need for it.”

Percy makes a tsking noise. “Oh, no, remember when we were up against that stupid pirate Octavian? And you reanimated or whatever all of those guys? Super awesome, Nico.” Nico smiles at Percy’s enthusiasm. Will’s still looking at him with wide eyes.

“Whatever, Percy.”

“Right, so new plan. We all go and talk to Will’s dad. And hopefully, we get some treasure.”

“Is this good treasure?” Annabeth asks. “Because I’m not going on some goose chase for more blue food.”

Percy groans. “They had blue chips. Like, they were supposed to be blue and everything. Blue tortillas! How is that not amazing?” Annabeth smiles fondly at him. “Besides, whether it’s blue food or gold or even books, someone on this ship will be happy.”

There’s a general sound of agreement at this. “I feel like part of it must be gold or some sort of jewel,” Hazel says. “I can feel something calling me.” Percy playfully points towards Hazel before turning to Will.

“So, that a good plan?”  
-  
Nico’s not sure how all of this happened. But one minute, they were all swimming together. And now they’ve all abandoned him to talk to the king. Nico guesses he was too zoned out to realize that they were all going into the palace, Will leading the way. And then Will had come back out, and Nico was still floating there.

“Not into the diplomatic stuff?” Nico had only shrugged, too embarrassed to admit that he’d been daydreaming about Will’s muscles. “I can give you a tour.”

And now they were on what Will considered a tour. Though the only scenery Nico as taking in was Will. How everything seemed to catch the light and glow. How his smile was so beautiful. How his curls framed his face perfectly. How his muscles shifted every time he moved. How his hand felt in Nico’s.

When Nico got tired of swimming (because it was hard work swimming underwater), Will let him hold onto his shoulders, gently pulling him through the water. Nico resisted the urge to just wrap his arms around Will. They pass over a giant field of what looks to be seaweed.

“One of my favorite spots as a kid,” Will says, slowing down. “We used to play. Hide and find?”

“Hide and seek?” Nico asks. Will grins, nodding. Then he drops Nico’s hand, darting into the seaweed. His tail flashes, and then he’s gone. Nico finds himself smiling as he makes his way through the seaweed. He hasn’t played this game in forever, not since he and Hazel were little kids.

Will seems to like the hide and seek and chase version of the game, so they end up chasing each other through the seaweed. Nico’s arms and legs grow tired, not used to having to constantly swim. He’s at least glad that Will granted him the ability to breathe underwater or he’d be a real mess right about now.

“Are you hurt?” Will asks when Nico stops. Before Nico can say no, Will’s checking over Nico, running his hands over Nico’s stomach and ribcage. “You seem to be fine.”

“I am,” Nico says, hoping that his blush isn’t obvious. “Just tired. Humans don’t swim a lot.”

Will tilts his head a bit. “But you live on the water.”

Nico laughs. “Yes, but we don’t go in the water.”

Will pouts at this. “Why not? It’s amazing.” Nico just shrugs. He does like the water better than the land. “It might help if you take off your shirt,” Will adds. Nico’s cheeks definitely warm.

“Clothing is heavy,” Will explains. “Mer-people do not wear a lot. Only on formal occasions.”

Nico believes that. As they were swimming through town, Nico saw different states of dress. Most of the men didn’t wear anything. Some of the women covered up but not all. Nico supposes that they had different versions of modesty underwater.

He sheds his shirt, blushing as he feels Will’s eyes glance over him. “This better?” Nico asks.

“I think so,” Will says. Nico can detect the slightest blush on Will’s face now. “You know, mer-people tell stories of the humans. How they are messy and clumsy, how they shake the earth. Mama used to say they were ugly and greedy. But you? You are beautiful.”

Nico feels like he’s forgotten how to breathe for a moment, and he almost forgets that he has to tread water to stay where he is. Will rushes forward, holding him. And Nico’s mind is swimming with all of the clichés he’s ever read and heard and marveling at how they all seem to be coming together right now.

“Do mermen kiss?” Nico blurts out.

Will makes a funny face before laughing. “If we really like someone,” he says. “I want to kiss you, Nico.”

And he does. His teeth scrape ever so gently against Nico’s lip, and Nico’s pretty sure Annabeth and Percy have never had an underwater kiss quite like this. (Not that he’ll ever tell them about this. He doesn’t kiss and tell.) After what feels like a week and a second all at once, Will pulls away.

“We should probably head back. By now, either your friends are fish food or on their way to the treasure.”  
-  
As it turns out, Percy’s skills of persuasion and Annabeth’s skills of diplomacy were of great use.

“See, there they are!” Percy says as Nico and Will swim into view. He’s grinning at them, and Nico really hopes it means that he’s thinking about the treasure rather than what Nico and Will were up to. “Come on, slowpokes. We’ve got a treasure to find.”

It takes a bit of arguing and the use of Hazel’s skills to find the treasure. Despite Percy’s perfect sense of oceanic direction, he seems to be struggling at reading the map. Nico knows it’s because he’s too excited to focus on the details.

“It’s a mountain, Perce,” Annabeth says when they make it. “X marks the spot. Right here.”

Percy goes around, tapping and poking. He tries to talk to it, sing to it. “Please?”

“Let me,” Will says after a moment. He’s just been staring at the mountain this whole time. Percy moves back to let Will move forward. And then Will lets out a noise that sounds like singing, but Nico’s pretty sure he’s talking to the mountain.

Immediately, there’s almost like a ripple in the ocean, and Percy’s eyes light up. “I heard that!” Will nods.

“We must go up. The entrance is above the surface.”

Will takes the lead, and Nico’s just a little bummed that Will doesn’t take his hand. Instead, he’s got to endure the knowing smile on Reyna’s face and the hopeful glances from Hazel. Nico gasps as he breaks the surface. His hair plasters to his face, and he now realizes that he doesn’t know where his shirt is.

“May I borrow your shirt, Nico?” Will asks, holding out Nico’s now dry shirt. Nico just nods, forgetting how words work as Will is now naked.

“Don’t say a word,” Nico grumbles. Reyna laughs.

They walk along the beach, and Nico tries his best not to hope for a small gust of wind to inch Nico’s shirt up Will’s thigh. Curse his stupid oversized shirts.

“You call the mountain by name, and she might grant you permission,” Will says as they reach the entrance. It doesn’t look like much more than a small indention in the stone, but Nico trusts Will. Percy attempts to repeat the sing-song quality of Will’s voice, and Nico thinks he sounds a bit like a cat. There’s an immediate response.

“The treasure is for all. But if you take, you must leave something behind,” Will says. “So, shall we go in?”

He looks like an excited puppy now, eyes lit up. Percy shrugs, heading inside as the door slides open.

“Gods,” he says as he looks around. Nico agrees. The inside of the mountain looks a bit like a library. Books and gold and jewels line the walls. Objects of all sorts are scattered around the room. There is equipment for sailing, for riding horses, for building.

They each fan out, looking over everything, trying to figure out what they want to bring back with them. Hazel leaves behind a few rings in exchange for a dagger. Nico sees Annabeth grab some books. Reyna finds some maps. Percy finds a spyglass he claims has a secret message encoded in it.

“Do you want anything?” Nico asks, turning to Will.

Will smiles, shaking his head. “No. I think I have everything I want already.”

Nico snorts. “Of course. I forgot you were the prince.”

Will blinks, laughing. “No, you, Nico.” He laughs again, this time pressing a kiss to Nico’s cheeks. “Did anything catch your eye?”

Nico fingers his shirt. “I feel like you should leave this shirt behind,” he says.

Will blushes a deep red. In the end, Will leaves behind some scales in exchange for a lute-like instrument he thinks his father will like. Nico still can’t think of anything he wants or anything that would be worth exchange. He thinks in a way he’s already found his treasure, being able to hold Will’s hand, make him blush so deeply, getting to kiss him.

“Who knew you were such a romantic?” Percy asks. Nico shoves him, but he’s not annoyed. He’s too happy to be annoyed.

Will comes back to the ship with them, and Nico’s afraid that Will’s going to leave him. He can tell everyone else must think this by the space they get once Will’s got legs again.

“I still have duties as a prince,” Will says. “I’d be foolish to leave either you or my kingdom, so I worked it out with my father. I’m allowed to sail with you as long as I return every other full moon.” He turns to Percy. “If you’d welcome me aboard, of course.”

Percy grins. “Any friend of Nico’s is a friend of mine,” he says. “Hey, would you possibly know of any other treasures? Though one note, pants are required on this ship.”

Will laughs as Nico pouts. And then he doesn’t care because Will’s kissing him once more.


	14. mobster medic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico runs a mafia of sorts. Will's the new medic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: references to cheating (past), mention of injuries

Nico’s watching Will closely. He’s the new medic, and despite his grand recommendation, Nico’s always been wary of new people. Especially since Jason trusts everyone. Right now, Will’s talking with Hazel. She’s been complaining of back problems lately (possibly a minor injury from a few runs ago), but it seems that they’re also simply chatting.

Nico hardly ever chats.

He’s not sure what it is about Will that makes Jason think he belongs in Nico’s mob. While he’s just a medic, nothing more, the people Nico admits into his life have to have certain things. Nico’s never put a name to these things which allows him to be more choosy about the people he lets in. This is the first person he’s ever let in on a mere recommendation. Though Nico does trust Jason with his life. But Jason does not have the same taste in people Nico does.

However, the trial run was simple. Nico lets Will play medic in his mob. In exchange, Nico pays for Will’s schooling. And gives him a room. And probably food, now that Nico thinks about it. Usually, his mobsters (what a great name) get their own food. But, as Jason explained, Will didn’t have much. So Nico, with all of his riches and resources, is responsible for Will’s well-being.

“I’m going to need you to lay on your stomach here,” Will says, and Nico snaps back to attention. He knows he’s being a little overprotective. He didn’t sit in for everyone’s check-ups. But Hazel’s his little sister. He can’t just let a random stranger look over her.

“And I’m just going to loosen up these tight muscles, okay? Let me know if I try too much at once. Just slap me or something.” Hazel smiles at him as she lays down. She smiles at Nico before setting her head in her hands. Nico watches Will’s hands closely, making sure they don’t go anywhere they aren’t supposed to go.

Hazel tenses as Will presses down around her shoulders, but she doesn’t slap him. Will doesn’t even seem to notice Nico standing by the doorway. He just keeps going about whatever he’s doing until Nico realizes that Will’s giving Hazel a massage. He’s about to jump in when Hazel lets out a sigh.

“That was the spot,” she mumbles. “Gods, everything feels so much better already.”  
Will smiles, and Nico’s glad that no one can see the effect it has on him. Because that smile is gorgeous. Nico would raid houses and kill people for that smile. (How romantic.)

Nico hears something pop, and Hazel lets out another sigh. “I think that should be enough for now,” Will says. “But stretching and drinking water will help with this. Slowly now.”

He helps Hazel sit up, handing her some water. “The fluids will flush out the toxins. And stretching will keep the muscles loose. But I’m always happy to help.” He grins.

“You know I’ve got a boyfriend, right?” Hazel asks. Will’s face turns bright red. “I’m teasing you,” she laughs. “Frank wouldn’t know what to do with the jealousy.”

“It seems your brother might, though,” Will says, just soft enough for Nico to hear. Hazel glances over at him, rolling her eyes.

“I approve. He’s a good doctor.” She pats Will’s shoulder, jumping down from the table. “You should keep him around. I like free massages.”

Nico huffs, but he would do almost anything to make his sister happy. Even keep an unfairly hot med-student around. (For the free massages, of course.) Hazel grins at the two of them before skipping out of the room. Nico would like to know what she’s so happy about because he has a feeling it has less to do with her newly loosened muscles and more to do with Will.

“Are you next?” Will asks after a moment. He seems suddenly nervous that there is no buffer between him and Nico. “Or is this where you decide whether or not to kick me out?”

Up close, it’s easier to see how nervous Will is. He’s clasping his hands together, his hair falling in messy curls. He’s even biting his lip. Nico thinks he should take a shower. He’s standing too close for Nico to think clearly.

“Go take a shower. You’re not dismissed yet.”  
-  
Will’s not entirely sure about what he’s supposed to call his new job. He’s been calling himself the ‘mobster medic’ in his head, but he’s not sure how well Nico would take to it. And it’s not like he can just tell people that he patches up mobsters. He’s pretty sure that’s a good way to get fired. Turning your boss in to the police.

He’s told his mom that he’s living with a friend of Jason’s (since Jason’s recently moved in with his girlfriend) and that he’s still managing to pay for school. Although, he’s super grateful to both Jason and Nico, he’s not sure how to feel about it. He guesses his keeping Nico’s personal life a secret is his payment. 

Will’s been living with Nico and his mobsters for two weeks now. So far, he’s just patched up minor things like scrapes and bruises. He’s only had to use stitches once when something went wrong. And then he had to heal a burn when someone leaned on a hot stove on accident. But so far, it’s been fairly calm.

When he wakes up on Friday morning, he’s surprised at how busy the place is. Usually, he’s one of the first people awake for his early classes. But now, there are people rushing down the halls and muttering to themselves. As Will makes his way down to the kitchen, he’s almost gotten run over a few times.

“What’s happening?” Will asks when Frank walks in, carrying an armful of papers.

“Nico’s got them on a run later today, and some people are less prepared than they should be,” Frank says. He shrugs. “Of course, they’d be more prepared if Nico gave them more notice. But that’s just how he works. He claims it’s safer this way.”

“Is it?” Will asks. He’s never really inquired into Nico’s life, only knowing what he’s been told directly. He figures everything else is on a need-to-know basis, and he’s not about to step on anyone’s toes.

“Could be,” Frank says, giving another shrug. “On one hand, no one suspects it. On the other, there’s chaos.” He gestures out into the hallway as a heavy-set man rushes by, making the cabinets shudder. “Nico runs a tight best. He only lets in the best, and the moment you’re not the best, it’s too late.”

Will nods slowly. He wonders if this rule applies to him. “So, are you apart of this? Or are you here because of Hazel?”

Frank smiles. “Kind of both. But more for Hazel. We’ve talked about moving, but Nico insists she’s safer here. And Hazel’s too stubborn to actually move. That and Nico’s got me on surveillance for now. Speaking of, I’ve gotta run.” He scoops up Will’s mug of coffee and leaves before Will can correct him.

Will’s just about to leave for class when Nico grabs his arm. “You’re on duty tonight, Solace.” Will barely has time to nod before Nico’s gone again, just the feeling of his strong fingers around Will’s arm remaining. He shakes off the feeling, heading to school.

On his way there, he tries not to think about what’ll happen if he sees his ex-boyfriend. Officially, they’ve been broken up for almost three weeks now. Technically, Will has no idea how long Jake’s been cheating on him. It could have been a month or just weeks. But it still hurts. Will had kind of thought that maybe this was the one.

And then he’d come back early from a lab and found Jake in between someone else’s legs. And it’d all fallen apart. Will knew he hadn’t been the best boyfriend with all of his classes and his job and his volunteer work, but he needed all of that to get through school. And Jake was in school, too, so he should understand that. Except, it seemed that he had plenty of time for sneaking around behind Will’s back.

So after a drawn-out fight, Jake had finally just told Will to pack his stuff and leave. Like it was all Will’s fault that their relationship wasn’t working. Like it was Will who had cheated. Like it wasn’t Will who had paid that month’s rent. Or his couch in their living room. But he’d gone because he was so tired of fighting and it hurt too much to be surrounded by a year’s worth of memories of something that was no longer.

The professor walks in, and Will opens his notebook. No more thinking about Jake. He needed to move on, get his life back on track.  
-  
“He’s good, right?” Jason asks, smiling way too widely at Nico. Nico simply shrugs, taking a sip from his wine. He’s not quite in the mood for it anymore, but he’s already poured this glass and it’d be a shame to waste it. “Will, I mean. He’s a good medic. Hazel’s been telling me about him.”

“Yes, fine,” Nico says. “Will’s good. But we haven’t really gotten into too many scrapes yet.” Which was true. Nico had only gone on one mission since Will had taken up residence in his house. And then Nico had only taken his best men, so there hadn’t been any clean-up necessary. Right now, Will was just fixing up past injuries.

“I think he’s growing on you,” Jason says. He’s still grinning, and Nico drains his glass. Jason’s smile turns into a pout. “Have you really just been ignoring him this whole time? I thought you’d at least interrogate him or something.”

Nico sighs. “I haven’t had a chance. I’ve been busy, and he’s been busy. Apparently, medical school takes a lot of time.” He’s not about to admit to Jason that he’d gone several times to talk to Will only to find Will not in the house.

“Yes, it does,” Jason says. “But he lives here. Like down the hall from you. Or upstairs, whatever.”

“What are you getting at? It’s it good enough that I’m letting him stay here, no questions asked? I didn’t even ask why you couldn’t take him in or how he’s managing medical school when he suddenly has no place to go? Seems a little suspicious, Jason.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “You would say that. But he asked me to keep quiet about his reasons. Though I can tell you that he recently got kicked out of his previous residence. He doesn’t like pity.” Nico huffs. He was the last person people came to for pity. “But if you just talked to him, I’m sure he’d tell you. He gets pretty talkative when he’s tired.”

Nico raises his eyebrows. He wasn’t sure Will and Jason’s history, other than they were somewhat close friends. Apparently, they’d gone to school together, though Jason seemed to be close friends with everyone he met. But they must have been closer than most of Jason’s friends if Jason sent him to Nico.

“I don’t understand why he couldn’t just sleep on your couch or something.” Jason gives Nico a look. “I’m running a business here, and I know what you’re trying. I’m not falling for it.”

Jason laughs. “I’m just trying to hook you up with a super awesome medic. It’s not my fault you find him attractive.” Nico doesn’t react. “In fact, it’s completely fine if you do. I mean, Will’s a total model. And you definitely need to let loose a little. You’re so tense. I hear Will gives amazing massages.”

“We have a deal, Jason. And that deal does not include you setting me up with anyone.” Jason’s still grinning. Unfortunately, he can read Nico like a book, and so he knows that Nico finds Will attractive. Hot guys have always been Nico’s weakness. But Will’s not just hot, he’s adorable in a way that makes Nico imagine him in sweaters and cuddled up on the couch.

“But I know you’ve considered it,” Jason says. He stands up. “Let yourself live a little, Nico. You’re not twenty-three every day.”

“I can be,” Nico says.

Jason nods. “Suit yourself.”  
-  
Will tries not to shift too uncomfortably in his seat. He’s not sure why he and Nico are in a sub shop, but they are. He just hopes he’s not apart of some business deal. He’d originally been planning to study this morning and then go for a run in the afternoon. But then Nico had stopped by and asked him if he wanted to eat.

And now they were here.

“So,” Nico starts, looking mildly bored. “You want to be a doctor?”

Will nods slowly. “A pediatrician. Because I like kids, and they have more steady hours.” He swallows, taking a bite of his sandwich. He doesn’t mention that he had originally wanted to work in the ER. Since his and Jake’s breakup, he’s been thinking a lot about what he wants. And he’s thinking that a steady relationship is worth more than a steady job.

“The kids do?” Nico asks, almost smiling.

Will finds himself grinning anyway. “Yeah. School hours are pretty easy to predict.” He pauses. “Can I ask how you got into your business?”

Nico looks surprised at the question. “Family business. My grandfather started it, and it’s just kind of gotten passed down. Good money, so I didn’t complain. And it’s kind of growing on me, you know?”

Will just shrugs. He can’t imagine doing what Nico does, and he’s not even entirely sure the extent of what Nico does. There have been two missions now, and Will’s only been needed for the most recent one. It had involved more physical combat, and some of the guys had returned with knife and bullet wounds. Luckily, Will had been trained to work in the ER, so he only panicked for about two seconds before diving in.

“And you don’t mind paying for my schooling?” Will asks slowly.

Nico shrugs. “Might as well put the money to good use. Hazel’s got her own account. And everyone else has their own side jobs, so it’s really just kind of mine. I only have so many things I want, and I have most of them.” He smiles at Will then, and Will’s heart does a little flip. Because Nico’s sharp features are transformed by that smile. It brings up a small dimple on his left cheek and his freckles and a lightness Will’s never seen before.

Nico sips at his soup while Will stares. He’s about to ask Nico what he doesn’t have yet when he’s interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Both Nico and Will look up to see Jake hovering over their table. Will’s heart pinches painfully, and he hopes he doesn’t start crying.

“Long time, no see,” Jake says. He’s glancing at Nico now, and Nico’s glaring back. “And speaking of, I see it’s taken you no time to move on.” He’s talking with that over-full tone that tells Will this is all for show. He knows he shouldn’t let it get to him, but seeing Jake again, hearing him basically call Will a slut, seeing that he knows he’s getting to Will.

“And who might you be?” Nico asks, his voice cold. The smile is long-gone.

Jake smiles politely, turning to face Nico. “I’m Will’s ex-boyfriend. But it seems he’s moved on to bigger and better things.” He pauses. “I knew all of that crying was for show. Guess it’s good we both found out you weren’t worth it. Anyway, my girlfriend and I were going to get sandwiches today, but now I’m thinking fried chicken.” He fixes them with a polite nod before turning. Will catches him kissing a girl on the cheek before he turns back to Nico.

“Friendly guy,” Nico says. He’s looking at Will with an expression Will can’t decipher. He can’t tell if Nico believes Jake or if he’s angry at him. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Um, only if you want to hear about it,” Will says. Nico shrugs, finishing off his soup.

“The whole point of this lunch was to get to know you, so spill what you want.”

Will’s relief at this being an ordinary lunch is squashed by the fact that he just saw Jake. Looking the same as the day he cheated on Will. “Well, we did date,” Will starts quietly. “And then he cheated on me and kicked me out of the apartment. Which is why I’m kind of living with you now, I suppose. I guess he thought we were on a date.” Will shrugs, unsure how to end his story.

“How long did you two date?” Nico asks.

“A year and a half,” Will says. “Though I guess he was cheating on me way before that.”

“Are you just a bad boyfriend?” Nico asks. He doesn’t seem to be making fun of Will, just genuinely interested as to why someone would cheat on him.

“I mean, maybe.” He shrugs again. “Jake didn’t quite understand my long hours, and I wasn’t even in my residency yet. So maybe it was for the best. I’m pretty sure he only dated me because I want to be a doctor. I mean, he just said I wasn’t really worth it.”

Now, Will can tell that Nico’s angry. “Well, I think he’s a grade-A jerk,” Nico says. “And if he ever speaks to you again, let me know, and he’ll regret every word.”

Will blinks. “You don’t really have to do that. It’s probably best that he cheated on me. At least, he wasn’t lonely or whatever, you know?”

Nico shakes his head. “He clearly didn’t know what he had.”

Will’s confused by that statement, but he doesn’t get a chance to ask. Nico changes the topic, complaining about his father, talking Will’s ear off about this cute puppy he saw the other day, asking Will what he’s learning about in school. And by the time they leave the sub shop, Will thinks he feels happier than he has in a while.  
-  
Nico sees things the moment they start going wrong. He watches Garrett trip instead of turning smoothly, the bullet just barely grazing his shoulder. He hears one of the other men shout something, and he has enough time to turn and miss being sliced in half. Octavian’s men are rushing at them. Nico’s not sure why things are going wrong other than maybe the other side had seen into his plans somehow ahead of time. Or maybe Nico had overlooked some important detail.

He’s not sure. But what he is sure of is that he can’t die without seeing Will again. Because there’s something about those unspectacular blue eyes that just makes Nico melt inside. And wouldn’t that be a sweet death? Drowning in Will’s warm, worried gaze.

“Di Angelo!” He’s brought out of his daydream, firing his gun towards the sound of heavy footsteps. He hears a grunt, and then Charlie is grabbing his arm. He calls the code for evacuating and runs out of the house. He hears more gunshots, hears someone yell. His face hits something solid, and he’s out.

When he comes to, he drifts in and out of consciousness. He feels pain, but he also feels warmth. His hand is warmer than the rest of him. Slowly, he guides his sight down to where his hand is being gently held by a freckled one. Now that he realizes this, he also begins to notice the pretense of someone by his bedside. Someone who is not Hazel.

“Always got to be the hero, Nico,” Will mumbles. “You’re lucky you only broke your nose. Could have been a lot worse.” Will drops his hand, standing up, and Nico almost reaches out to grab it again. He’s not sure why he’s craving Will so, only that since that sub shop lunch, he’s had dreams of kissing Will, of Will nuzzling his nose into Nico’s neck, of Will shirtless.

“No concussion?” Nico asks.

“Somehow not,” Will says, coming back over. He helps Nico sit up, holding a straw to his mouth. Nico almost spits it out when he tastes apple juice. He’d been expecting water. He empties the glass. Will smiles at him, brushing back Nico’s hair. “Hazel told me you liked apple juice the best.”

“Especially with alcohol,” Nico says, even though that’s a lie. He’s just not sure what to do with all of these feelings. No one’s ever been so soft with him. Not even Hazel.

“No alcohol for you,” Will says. “Also, I’ve already patched up the rest of your men. Everyone made it out safely. Some broken bones and a sprained ankle. And then your broken nose. I managed to set it, but it might be slightly crooked for the rest of your life.”

“Does it make me look tough?” Nico asks.

Will laughs. “You look like a penguin,” he says. Nico tries to pout, but it pulls on his nose, and he winces. “I’m kidding, Nico. You look very tough. And strong. And brave. Just no more kissing sidewalks, okay?”

“What about people?” Nico asks. He’s pretty sure Will’s got him on some kind of illegal medicine for him to be blurting out things like this. Or maybe he really does have a concussion.

“Kissing people is better,” Will says. When he comes back over with another glass of apple juice, Nico pulls their faces together. It still hurts. Will giggles, his hand coming up to frame Nico’s face. “Here, Nico.” He guides their faces gently together, careful not to bump Nico’s nose. It still hurts a bit, so Nico lets Will lead, nipping at Will’s lips when he gets bold.

Will gasps, pulling back.

“Sorry,” Nico says. “Is it too soon?” He’s suddenly reminded that Will just got out of a relationship only a little over a month ago. “I can wait.”

Will smiles, shaking his head. “It was over before I realized. I should have moved on earlier,” he says. He traces Nico’s cheeks, his lips, his finger light and teasing over Nico’s skin. Nico can’t imagine how Jake ever gave this up. “You don’t mind my odd hours?”

Nico laughs. “You don’t mind mine?”

Will’s face grows serious for a moment. “This isn’t just a fling, right? Not just because you feel sorry or because Jason set us up?”

“I feel sorry for Jake,” Nico says, and Will winces. “That he never saw how beautiful you are. You’re more than worth it,” Nico whispers.

Will kisses his lips. “Let’s agree, then, to never speak his name again.”

“Agreed.” Nico grins, pulling Will in for another kiss. He realizes that right now he isn’t the picture of a mob boss, but he’s twenty-three. He’s got to live a little.  
-  
Will’s waiting up for Nico when he collapses onto the bed. The lamp on the nightstand flickers on, and Nico winces at the sudden light. He can feel Will’s hands all over him, checking for injuries, a routine that’s been established unofficially every time Nico comes home late.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Will asks, his hands gently pressing against Nico’s ribs.

“Just some bruises,” Nico says, laying his arm over his eyes. “I’m fine. The only damage is what I did to myself. Because I’m just that clumsy.”

He doesn’t tell Will that he’s actually never climbed through someone’s window before. Usually, he has guys who do that for him. He always takes the classy entrance, the front door. Windows are for people who like to get their hands dirty. Nico prefers not to. Especially when he has such a worry-wart for a boyfriend.

Boyfriend. (Just the word makes Nico flush. He has no idea how it’s possible for him to have fallen for Will so quickly.)

“And what exactly was this mission? When you didn’t come home after the meeting, even Hazel didn’t know where you were.”

Nico doesn’t mention that on super important missions where things could most likely go the wrong way, he doesn’t tell Hazel. Because he knows she’ll worry. He mentally adds Will to this list. He doesn’t need Will chewing off his fingernails in class just because Nico’s breaking down doors at an embassy or something. (Not that he’d ever do that. He has a reputation to maintain, and he’s not some thug.)

“Had to pick up some things,” Nico says. “Some things for my lovely boyfriend.”

Will’s eyebrows raise at this. “What things? I haven’t been asking for things, have I?”

Not to Nico specifically, but Nico had (with good intentions) hacked into Will’s phone while he was studying. And then he’d hacked into a few databases and figured out some other things. Putting two and two together, Nico decided he had some errands to run after his meeting.

“No, but I thought you deserved a present,” Nico says.

Will sits back on his heels, done checking Nico over. (His only injury is when he banged his knee against the side of the house because he misjudged the height of the ledge. Not because he was on the shorter side or anything.) “A present? You don’t have to get me presents, Nico.”

Nico smiles. “Well, I didn’t technically buy these, so does that make it better?”

Will’s eyebrows ascend higher. “What does that mean? You know I don’t approve of stealing. Even Robin Hood style. No stealing from the rich to give to the poor crap.” Nico can tell he’s not angry, mostly just flustered. He feels his heart leap at the thought that he can make Will flustered.

“Well, don’t thank me until you see what I got. You might not even like it.” Nico sits up, reaching over the side of the bed where he’d dropped his bag. He lifts it up, handing it to Will. “Go on. I didn’t go through the trouble for you to just stare at me.”

Will opens the bag slowly, pulling out random objects. The apartment had been empty when Nico had broken in, but he was still unused to doing this without a lookout. So he’d randomly grabbed things that he could remember. He also hadn’t really planned this ahead of time. But he supposes it’s worth it if Will smiles.

“Clothes?” Will asks. “And pajamas?” He pulls out more stuff. Will pulls out a red shirt, sucking in a breath. “You broke into Jake’s apartment?”

“Um, kind of,” Nico says quietly. “You told me he kicked you out and that you didn’t have time to grab your stuff. So I went back to get it.”

“He wasn’t there, was he?” Will asks, his eyes wide.

“Not exactly,” Nico says. “Sort of? He came in as I was leaving. So I decided to stay a little longer and talk to him.”

“Talk,” Will repeats.

Nico nods. “Just talk. I promise no fists were thrown. He didn’t even do much more than nod, honestly. What a wimp. ”Will snorts. “He’s afraid of physical fighting, thinks it’ll mess up his face somehow.”

Nico laughs. “Well, yeah, so we just kind of talked. And I made it very clear that he was not to come near you again and that he better clean up his morals. And then he was very helpful in gathering the rest of your things. He said that if you wanted your couch back, he’d let me come to pick it up later this week.”

Will shakes his head. “He can keep the couch. Oh my gods, Nico, what the heck.” Nico reaches forward, taking Will’s hands before he pulls out his hair.  
“Are you mad?”

Will shakes his head. “No. I don’t think so. For some reason, I think I’m flattered.” Nico laughs again, rolling his eyes. He guesses Will isn’t used to people doing nice things for him. Though Nico’s not sure why. One look at Will’s face, and he’s a goner. “Though, we’re going to have to burn this shirt or something. Because it’s not his or mine.”

Nico takes the shirt, nodding. He watches Will unpack the rest of the stuff. There are the rest of his books, his favorite sweaters, his shoes, a fancy pen Nico just liked, and a plushie of a turtle. Nico smiles when Will pulls it out. He remembers Jake handing it to Nico, saying something offhandedly about Will not being able to sleep without it.

“His name is Waldo,” Will says, fixing the plastic glasses on the turtle’s face. “A present from my mom when I was little.” As Nico stands up to pick up the pile for burning, he catches Will kiss the turtle’s head.

“Well, up for a little bonfire tonight?”

Will rolls his eyes. “I guess it’s a Friday night. Better now than when I have to be up early.”

Nico grins. The fire isn’t all that big, just a couple feet high, big enough to roast some marshmallows in. So they have s’mores because Nico’s got a sweet tooth, even though Will keeps telling him he’s going to get cavities. Will’s wearing one of his sweaters, curled up in Nico’s arms.

It’s not until the fire’s died down that Nico realizes Will’s fallen asleep in his arms. Smiling, he kisses Will’s head, carrying him to their bedroom. He washes what he can of the marshmallow that’s gotten caught in Will’s curls, rubbing off some chocolate that’s smeared in the corner of his mouth. Then he tucks Will in, setting Waldo near Will’s shoulder.

After he’s cleaned himself up, he slides into the bed behind Will, pulling him close. Will smells like the sweet smoke of s’mores and fall, and Nico can’t believe how lucky he’s gotten. Who knew Jason could have been right? He thinks he owes Jason a gift now. He wonders what Jason might like. Maybe an engagement ring. He and Piper need to get married soon.

“Nic?” Will mumbles, turning over. “Thinkin’ too loud.”

Nico laughs, kissing Will’s lips. (They taste like chocolate.) “Good night, Will.”

“G’night, Nico.”


	15. summer job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's a city boy, but he takes a summer job on a farm anyway.

Nico wasn’t really a fan of horses, but Hazel was. Which was how he had gotten roped into driving all the way out into the country for some authentic horseback riding lessons. Luckily, their father insisted that Hazel start with one one-hour long lesson before making any big decisions about further lessons, so Nico only had to drive her to this one for the time being.

“I’m so excited!” Hazel yells.

“Hey, no distraction the driver,” Nico says, checking the directions again. It’s getting hard to tell where he is when cows are the only indication that he’s actually going somewhere. He’s starting to realize that cows do not look like they do in storybooks, but he’s thinking that maybe they added the extra spots for something more interesting to look at. Because most of these cows were black with just one or three spots, and they didn’t seem interested in much more than eating grass.

“You know, you can still get a lesson, too,” Hazel says. “In fact, why don’t you? I mean, we’re driving all the way out here.”  
Nico sighs. “I am not riding a horse, Hazel. This is for you and you only.”

“You’re just grumpy that you aren’t back at home with your nose stuck in a book or something,” Hazel says, poking his arm. Nico swats her arm away. He is, in fact, grumpy for that very reason. He doesn’t understand the appeal of ‘country air’ when he can have perfectly fine air in their apartment back in the city.

“Whatever. I think we’re here.”

He turns down a dirt road, a cheerfully painted sign announcing that they’ve just arrived at “Solace Farms.” Nico wonders if it’s a requirement to give farms and ranches out here cheesy names. The other places he considered getting Hazel’s lessons at were places named Sunny Side Ranch and Johnson Acres.

“Welcome to Solace Farms,” a man says as Nico parks. “Are you to pick strawberries?”

Nico has to almost stick his head out the window to look at the guy. He’s tall and tanned and blond with freckles covering every inch of visible skin. He’s grinning at them from underneath the brim of a cowboy hat. Nico also wonders if it’s a requirement for all farmhands to be so attractive.

“No, um, we’re here for a horseback riding lesson,” Nico says. “I’ve got the paperwork in here somewhere.” He turns to Hazel.

“In that case, I’ll need you to head down that lane right there,” the man says, pointing in some general direction. “The horse barns are that way. Will should be out there already.” He gives them a wave as Nico rolls his window back up.

“He was cute,” Hazel says. “I hope Will is just as cute.” She grins at Nico. “What are the odds?”

“You have a boyfriend,” Nico says. “And I still don’t understand why he couldn’t have taken you.”

Hazel rolls her eyes. “He’s helping with summer school, remember?” Nico didn’t understand people who did things with their summers. He liked his summers slow and lazy. Although, he’s probably going to have to wash the car once he leaves. The dirt road is kicking up dust, and he knows his dad won’t like keeping the car dirty.

“Look, Nico!” Hazel squeals when they get in sight of the horse barns. Nico takes his time looking where Hazel’s pointing. Just in case she’s pointing at a man instead of a horse and because these roads are kind of curvy. When he does look up, he’s relieved to see a majestic looking brown horse. “She’s so pretty.”

Nico parks, grabbing his papers and locking the car. Hazel’s already introduced herself to both the horse and the man by the time Nico gets over there.

“Hello,” the man says. “I’m Will. Are you also having a lesson? I can go and get another horse.”

Nico shakes his head. “No, just Hazel. I brought a book to read.”

Will grins at him. “Well, there’s some good shade over there if you’d like. Though, I’ll have to say that you’re missing out. Riding this horse is a treat.”

“I’ll just watch,” Nico says. The lesson is an hour long, and Nico makes himself comfortable on the wooden bench. He’s pretty sure it wasn’t built for leisurely reading, but it’s probably more comfortable than the back of a horse. He watches Will and Hazel talk before Will helps Hazel mount the horse.

“Nico! Take a picture, please!” Nico grabs his phone, dutifully taking three photos. He tries to go back to his book, but he keeps getting distracted. He blames it on the uncomfortable seat and the bright sun. And the flies. There are so many flies around.

Will’s leading Hazel around in circles, probably getting her used to using the reins. Nico knew very little about riding a horse, but he’s read books where people rode horses. The reins were very important. He also notes that Hazel’s wearing a helmet which he considers smart. Though he’s never seen someone ride a horse with a helmet on. He shrugs. Hazel seems to be having fun, and these lessons were highly recommended on many sites.

He sits back against the barn, trying to read his book again. Eventually, he gives up, deciding that Will’s much more attractive and captivating than his book. In his T-shirt, it was obvious where the muscles were, smooth and nicely toned. Too bad he was wearing jeans, though Nico supposed that they were more suitable for riding horses and farm work. From where he’s sitting, Nico can just make out two dimples whenever Will smiles. He wonders if Will has freckles like that other guy. (Freckles are one of his weaknesses.)

Ever since Nico realized it was okay to like guys, he keeps finding himself falling victim to their good looks. He hates reading books where only the girls are described in intimate detail, wanting to know what the guys look like. (Once, when he was little, he tried to draw out the perfect guy. Then, his type of guy had been dark haired with green eyes. Now, he was highly considering to change this.)

All too soon, the lesson ends. Will helps Nico dismount, and Nico takes a moment to look at Will’s backside. The clothes give just a hint of a well-toned body. And then Will’s standing right in front of Nico, wiping a rag across his forehead.

“Hope it wasn’t too hot out here for you,” Will says. “Hazel’s a natural, got more done today than I’d been planning.” Nico glances over to where Hazel’s fixing her hair. She’s dusty and smells like a horse, but she’s beaming.

“We pre-paid, right?” is all Nico can think of saying.

Will laughs, looking over the paperwork. Nico’s grateful for this because that laugh just did a lot of things to Nico. “Yup. Looks good.” He grins, sliding a hand into his front pocket. “Oh, hey, if you need a summer job, we’re hiring. Good pay with a room and meals included.”

“Job?” Nico asks.

Will nods. “Just helping around the farm. The strawberries are in season right now, and my parents always need some extra hands. Especially with school just out. Gotta get the hayrides up and running. Plus all of the other summer stuff. Think about it, okay?”

Nico can only nod. Hazel nudges him. “What are the hours?”

Will looks at him, and Nico confirms that his eyes are this cornflower blue. It’s nothing remarkable by itself, but it’s gorgeous with the tanned skin and golden curls. “Um, full-time. You’d be helping with whatever we needed, pretty much whenever. Which is why we include room and board plus a paycheck.”

It just dawns on Nico that Will’s basically asking to live with him.

“I’ll think about it,” Nico manages. He’s not sure he’d be able to work with Will around. Or even be able to function if they’re living in the same house. That’s what Will said, right? That they’d be sharing a house? Or was there some guest house that Nico hadn’t seen yet?

“Well, you’ve got our number from your reservation. But if you’re just itching to take the job, here’s my number.” He jots down a line of numbers onto the sheet, and Nico almost drops the papers. Much too soon, Hazel’s pulling him towards the car and Will’s heading back down the road.

“You should take the job,” Hazel says. “It’d be stupid not to. Besides, I think he likes you. He asked me if you were single.”

“What’d you say?” Nico says, looking over at Hazel.

“That you’ve been single since middle school,” Hazel says, laughing. Nico glares at her. “Kidding. I just said yes. He seems really nice, and I’m pretty sure that was his brother we met earlier. The one who thought we were going to pick strawberries. Which we definitely should. But later. Because I need a shower.”

“Are you forgetting poor Frank this quickly?” Nico teases if only to get some of the spotlight off of him.

“Oh no,” Hazel says, smiling. “But I can still appreciate. Of course, when he becomes your boyfriend, I promise not to ogle.”

“If only Frank were here,” Nico says.

“But, seriously, if you don’t take the job, I’m taking it for you.”  
-  
Will is way too pleased when Nico calls back within the hour. He never picks up random numbers, but he has a good feeling that this is Nico. He’s not exactly sure why he offered the job to Nico. It was true they were hiring, but Nico didn’t exactly fit the picture of manual labor.

“Um, I was calling about the farming job?” comes a soft voice. “Is this Will?”

“This is Will,” Will says. He tries not to sound too excited. He’s hardly ever gotten a call back from someone.

“Right. Well, I was just calling to say I’d take the job. Um, when does it start? Guess I should have asked you that earlier.”

Or Will should have mentioned them earlier. He’d gotten distracted. “As soon as possible is best, but we understand if there are any conflicts with that. And when you show up, we’ll need your schedule. Like if you have any vacations planned or things you know you need time off.”

“Yeah, I can do that. So, is next week good? So I can pack and whatnot, I mean.”

Will smiles. “Next week is fine. I’ll see you on Monday.” It takes him a moment to realize that Nico’s hung up.

“What’s that sappy smile for?” Kayla asks, surprising him. “Did a boy call you? Or was it that girl who was here earlier? Lee told me you did a lesson.”

“This is my regular smile,” Will says. “And I just hired someone. They’re coming in on Monday.”

Kayla smirks. “And what is their name?”

Will pauses for a moment, trying to remember what the paperwork had said. “Nico di Angelo,” he says after a moment. “He’s going to need some training, but he’s got potential.”

“To be your future boyfriend, you mean,” Kayla says. “I know how you work, Will.” She pats his shoulder as Will tries to protest. “Don’t forget to tell Mom. Oh, and she wanted to know if Cecil and Lou Ellen will be able to help out this summer.”

Will shrugs. “Haven’t heard back from Lou, but Cecil’s spending the summer with his grandparents this year. So no for him.”

Kayla sighs. “We might have to nix the fair this year. We’re short too many hands. Apparently, Michael’s trying to run away with his girlfriend for the summer, and Mama’s trying to get her to work here. No one’s winning yet.”

Will’s not sure who’s going to win that one either. Michael could be pretty stubborn when he wanted to be, but he’d learned it from their mom. And there was no way she’d let him just run off last minute to spend the summer at some beach. Either that or he’d have to take time off for apple season which they all hated doing. (But it had to be done.)

“I’m not picking sides,” Will says. Kayla nods like she agrees.

“Well, don’t get too caught up in your boy is all I’m saying. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

By the time Monday rolls around, Will’s lost some of the giddiness and replaced it with nerves. Because what if Nico just took the job because he needed a job? What if Will was just some nice eye candy or whatever people said and he already had a boyfriend? No, Hazel said he was single. But what if he’d gotten a boyfriend in the last four days? Nico was hot enough.

“Will! Aren’t you supposed to be cleaning the barns?” Mama calls. “When it gets hotter, I want you in the shade. And don’t forget your water!”

Will nods, waving at his mom on the wraparound porch. He grabs his jug of water and starts heading to the barns. With Michael and Mama still undecided on the summer plans, it fell to Will to clean the barns this morning. He wishes he could have seen Nico in, but he’s also kind of glad for the work.

He changes into his work boots, making sure he’s wearing old clothes that he doesn’t mind pretty much hosing down later. Then he starts shoveling. They’ve got six horses this year, and their dad was thinking of getting another one. Will’s not sure why other than his father loves horses, but he doesn’t really want to clean up more horse crap.

He takes a break when his back starts cramping up from leaning over. He’s cleared out three stalls. He wonders what Nico’s up to right now. At least he knows he isn’t scooping horse crap. Although, they do have cows, so maybe it could be worse.

After finishing with the horses, he goes around to his other chores. He checks on Austin out by the strawberry patches to make sure they still have baskets. He checks on Lee by the produce stand to make sure they still have bags. Kayla’s collected the eggs and moved the cows. Now, she’s bent over the squash fields, picking weeds and looking for anything to harvest.

“Have you seen your future boyfriend yet?” Kayla calls.

Will makes a face. “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” he calls back. He decides she doesn’t need any help and walks back to the house for a snack. What he’s not expecting is for his mom and Nico to be sitting at the kitchen table. Because then he might have hosed down before walking into the house.

“William! No shoes on in the house!” Mama scolds. Will gives her a sheepish look before pulling off his shoes and tossing them into the grass. He rolls up his pants legs to avoid tracking extra dirt into the house. He grabs a peach from the fridge, rinsing it.

“Nico, this is one of my sons, Will. Will, Nico’ll be working with us this summer. I’ve set him up down the hall, okay?” Will nods. All of the guest rooms were on this floor. The family stayed upstairs. The basement was for all of the canned goods and stuff the family had yet to part with but didn’t really want. “And go take a shower before lunch. You already smell.”

“Sorry, Mama. I put on deodorant.” He kisses her head. She swats him away, wrinkling her nose, but he catches her smile.

“Oh, and you’ll be helping Nico learn the lay of the land, so I expect you to be on your best behavior! Tell your brothers that, too!” Mama calls as Will heads upstairs.

Will takes a quick shower before heading out to the herb garden. There isn’t a need to get too sweaty before lunchtime, so he takes his time pulling weeds and watering the flowerpots that populate the back part of the porch. He pretends not to catch Nico glancing at him while his mom probably overwhelms him with the details.

“If you hadn’t called dibs first, I might have taken a stab,” Kayla teases when she comes in. Will makes a face.

“Definitely not your type.”

“Don’t need a type for summer flings,” Kayla says, waggling her eyebrows.

“Gross!” Kayla laughs.

“Kidding, Will. Seriously, not my type. Definitely yours.” Will makes another face. “What? You have a type. Remember Kent? And Andy? And even Jesse?” Will groans.

“Fine, I get it. I like unreasonably attractive guys.” Kayla snorts.

“If that’s what helps you sleep at night.”  
-  
Nico’s first week helping out was pretty uneventful. Unless he counted all of the work he had to do. He was starting to understand why farmers were always so toned. It was because they were always doing manual labor. So far, he’d had to feed the cows, the horses, the chickens. He’d collected eggs and weeded way too many rows of vegetables. He’d expressed his love for cooking, so Mrs. Solace (Naomi) had him helping her in the kitchen.

He didn’t mind helping prepare meals. It was fun to cook for a big family, and it was a nice break from being outside so much. And Naomi was super nice and easy to talk to.

“So you’re in college?” she asks today. It’s a Saturday morning, and they’re starting on lunch in between Nico’s morning chores. Apparently, they’re going to the market later, and Nico’s invited along.

“Yeah, studying economics right now.” Naomi hums. “It’s okay, but I’m thinking of changing my major. Just because I’m not all that interested in it anymore.”

“Will’s heading to college this fall,” Naomi says. “Gonna miss the help around here, but I’m glad he’s going.”

“Did he take a gap year?”

Naomi smiles. “Sort of. He stayed back to help around the farm since Michael and Lee are both in college now. Although, this’ll be Lee’s last year. And Kayla’s taking classes at the community college. Austin’s still figuring out what he wants to do.”

Nico nods. “Hazel, my sister, is still in high school, but she’ll be graduating this coming year. I’m pretty sure my dad’s freaking out already because he’s her little girl.”

Naomi laughs. “Don’t I know the feeling. The last one’s already finished high school. The oldest one is about to graduate from college. And I’m still just realizing that they aren’t six years old anymore.” She ruffles his hair. “Of course, it’s always lovely to see them grow up.”

Naomi finishes making the potato salad while Nico slices the bread. They’ve just got everything packed up when the entire family walks through the door. It’s loud and a little chaotic and exactly how Nico imagined being in Will’s family to be. (Not that he’s imagined that per se.)

“Ready to go, Mama? Dad’s itching to get another horse,” Lee says. Nico thinks he and Will look the most similar. They’ve both got the blond hair, though Lee’s is cut short, and the bright blue eyes. Michael and Kayla’s hair is darker. Austin’s got his dyed blue right now.

“No more horses, Lester. You know the deal.” Lester laughs, wrapping his arm around Naomi’s shoulders.

“Just you wait until you see this horse, though. You won’t be able to walk away from it.” Naomi just shakes her head, calling for Nico to grab the other cooler. It’s heavier than he expected, and he stumbles a little.

“Need some help?” Will asks, staying behind to watch him struggle. Nico wants to shake his head, but he just nods. He watches as Will’s muscles flex to carry the cooler, and he finds that he doesn’t really mind not having muscles. Will’s muscles are perfectly fine.

They take two cars, and Will sits across from Nico, pointing out stuff he deems important. To Nico, it all looks like cows and grass and barns until they get closer to town. Moving in with the Solaces was a lot easier than he thought it’d be. He was sure he’d stick out like a sore thumb and not remember where the forks were the next day. But they were all so nice and helpful and good-looking that Nico didn’t mind fumbling around the first few days.

And he had his own room and bathroom because Will said they hadn’t had time to hire any more help this summer after his friends dropped out last minute. But his room is nice and spacious. He likes to sit in the window seat at night and read if he isn’t already tired out from all of the work.

“Daydreaming?” Will asks, nudging Nico. “We’re here.” They leave the cooler in the car, for now, splitting off as they all head towards what they want. Lester and Naomi are still arguing over the horse, though Nico can tell there’s no heat in it. 

“What do we do?” Nico asks.

Will smiles, grabbing his arm. “Here, they have the best honey at this booth over here. You’ve got to try it.” He leads Nico through the stalls, everyone selling stuff that looks straight from the vine or out of the oven. They get to the honey booth, and Will scoops out a bit of honey. “Here, hold out your tongue.” Nico’s confused for a moment before realizing that Will wants him to lick his finger.

Slowly, he sticks out his tongue until it brushes Will’s finger. He flushes, quickly grabbing as much honey as he can before closing his mouth, tongue inside. It is amazing honey, but Nico’s still stuck on the fact that he just licked honey off of Will’s finger.

“Good?” Will asks. He sticks his finger in his mouth, smiling. “I think it’s the best.”

They wander through the market, Will holding Nico’s hand. Which is perfectly fine because Nico’s pretty sure he’d just daydream himself right into the road if Will weren’t. They sample bread and fruit and Will gets a notebook. Nico thinks he’s dizzy with all of the sensations. Because this close, Will smells amazing. Something like honeysuckle and sweat (which shouldn’t sound so alluring).

“Is there anything you want to get?” Will asks. “If not, we’ve got to meet up with the family over by the picnic area.” Nico shakes his head, letting Will guide him. They find the rest of Will’s family on a giant blanket, food spread out around them. Some of it Nico recognizes from the booths.

“There you two are,” Lester says. “Thought you’d wandered off.” Will’s cheeks redden at this, and Nico busies himself with making a sandwich. There’s the potato salad that they made and their homemade bread. But there’s also fruit now and a vegetable platter and deviled eggs.

“And look what I scored,” Naomi says. “I got Mrs. Ruth to save me one of her pies.” This gets a round of applause.

“Mrs. Ruth makes the best pies in town,” Will says, leaning closer to Nico. “Any kind of pie, and it’s amazing.” Nico totally believes him. He thinks he’d believe anything Will could whisper in his ear.

“So, Nico, I’d love to meet your sister sometime. She’s welcome to come and work a day or even the whole summer if she wants. Or just visit,” Naomi offers.

Nico smiles. “She’s at camp for most of the summer,” Nico says. “Only comes home for the weekends, but I’m sure she’d love to visit.”

He eats his sandwich, listening to the conversation around him. Family friends of the Solaces come up and talk to them, trade vegetables and gossip. A few kids come over to them, shyly waving and hugging one of Will’s siblings. Will explains that he and his siblings have babysat for a lot of these kids. All in all, it’s like a giant family picnic, and Nico quite likes the idea of it.

Family dinners at his house are nothing like this. Sure, his family is amazing and engaged in his life, but they don’t talk to their neighbors. They don’t even know what their names are. They don’t have family friends who stop by for pie or Bible study or just to grab a beer. Nico supposes part of it is having such a nice farm where people can come to hang out for the day. But he’s also pretty sure part of it is just because the Solaces are so wonderful.

“What’s this, Naomi? Another son?” a lady asks.

Naomi laughs. “This is Nico. He’s with us for the summer,” Naomi says. “Knows his way around the kitchen for sure, and he’s a big help around the farm.”

The lady smiles. “I’d imagine. I tried to get my boys to help you out this year, but one’s got a girlfriend. And the other’s been planning this road trip.” She gives them an apologetic smile.

“We know how it is,” Lester says, glancing at Michael who seems to be trying to avoid this conversation. “But we’re actually doing okay with hands this year. But we’re always open for help if they ever want to stop by.” Nico tunes out the rest of the conversation, just enjoying the morning.

He’s exhausted by the time they get home, unpacking all of the stuff they got, even though they’d sold everything they’d wanted to. Nico thinks he could just collapse into his bed and sleep the day away, but he knows there’s stuff to be done.

“Why don’t you take a nap, Nico?” Naomi asks. “You look like you’re going to fall asleep standing.”

“‘M fine, really. I can go weed or something.”

“Can I take a nap, too, Mama?” Will asks. Naomi shoots him a look that Nico can’t interpret.

“I know you’re not tired,” Naomi says looking at her son. “You just want to get out of your chores. So no. If you didn’t stay up so late reading, you’d be less tired. Don’t think I don’t see that light on.” Will slumps, but he seems perfectly fine as he races his brothers out the door.

“I’m really okay,” Nico says, even as he fights off a yawn.

Naomi smiles. “And it’s okay to nap, Nico. I promise we don’t think any less of you. We don’t expect you to automatically be used to all of this. I know it’s long hours.” Nico nods. He’d gotten up this morning at five-thirty after going to bed around eleven. (Or later because he’d had to finish another chapter in his book. He was getting close to the good part.)

“Okay, but wake me up if you need me, okay?” He didn’t want to feel like he was slacking off. He knew they usually had more help than just him. But it seemed like everyone was doing something this summer. Including him now.

“I will, dear. Just rest, okay? We shouldn’t need you for at least an hour.” She shoos Nico towards his room before heading out onto the patio. Nico pulls his shoes off before falling right into his bed. He doesn’t think he’s ever been so happy to be in bed as he’s been this past week. He closes his eyes, smiling as he thinks about the morning, and he’s out.  
-  
Will’s wholly distracted today. Nico’s manning the strawberry cart, and Will never realized how adorable it is for someone to be helping little kids pick strawberries. Not to mention that his lips are stained a light pink from eating the strawberries. And the heat in his cheeks that the small roof over the cart can only do so much about.

“How’re you lasting out here?” Will asks. He’s been sent over to bring more baskets.

“Pretty okay,” Nico says. “I could use a fan, though.”

Will laughs. “Yeah, it was Michael’s job to hook that up. So too bad he’s so stubborn.”Nico nods. “What’s it like working with your entire family?”

Will shrugs. He’s never done anything different. He’s always worked with his family; it’d feel weird probably to not work with his family. “I suppose I can yell at them and know they’ll forgive me sometime in the future, unlike other people. They might just fire me,” Will says. Austin had yelled at him the other day for forgetting one of his chores because he was too busy ogling Nico’s backside as he was weeding.

“And good food is probably a benefit,” Nico adds. “Your mom is amazing.” Will smiles. He’s really super glad that Nico liked his family. That was part of the trouble with his previous boyfriends. They never understood the long and random hours that he worked on the farm, and they never understood how his family could dedicate their entire lives to it. Or force their children to work for them. Though Will’s never really felt forced.

“I hear part of our meals is your work,” Will says. “And I can definitely not tell the difference between yours and Mama’s cooking, so you must be pretty good, too.”Nico blushes at this. He turns away from Will for a moment to ring up someone’s purchase, an overflowing basket of strawberries. Will smiles as the little kids each scramble to show Nico how many strawberries they picked and who picked the biggest, most reddest strawberries ever.

“I think it’s nice having a family business,” Nico says. “I thought my family was close, but I don’t even see my parents for three or four nights out of the week. And Hazel’s either doing school stuff or with her friends. She’s at camp now.” He shrugs.

“We all have our own things, too,” Will says. “We don’t just work on the farm. Like, Austin’s trying to start a rock band, and Kayla wants to get a business degree. Lee’s wants to be an architect. No one knows what Michael wants to do.”

“And what about you?” Nico asks.

Will blushes. He’s hardly told anyone outside of his parents what he wants to do. “I kind of want to be a doctor. But the natural kind, I suppose. Not with all of the prescription drugs and stuff that no one can pronounce.” Nico laughs.

“Yeah, I used to take a lot of those.” Will smiles. “But that’s cool. I’m still trying to figure out what I like. Although, this summer job is a lot more fun than I’d been anticipating.”

Will laughs. “You thought you’d be working away in the sun, didn’t you? Scooping horse crap and up to your knees in mud?” Nico shrugs. “Well, that does happen, but Mama’s being nice to you since you’re new. If you come back next summer, fully expect that.”

“Will do,” Nico says, and Will feels his heart skip a beat. Because he’d love it if Nico were to come back next summer. Even if that sounds like a really long wait. “And I’m not just saying that because you guys are all so nice. I think I’m actually starting to like the work, too.”

Will grins. None of his previous boyfriends had ever said that. They’d always tried to get him to leave the farm, go to college far away, become a ‘real’ doctor. Kayla and Michael said it was because he’d tried to date people who had never had their hands elbow deep in dirt and mud, but Nico hadn’t either until this summer.

“Well, I think we’re going to be closing up early this afternoon,” Will says. That’s also what he’d been out here for. “The forecast is calling for a pretty heavy rain, and it wouldn’t be a lot of fun to get stuck out here. That mile walk gets to be a bit longer in the pouring rain.”

“So what time should I close up?” Nico asks. He scratches his arm, shooing away a fly.

“Probably in the next hour or so. Mama’s making soup back at the house, and we’re all rushing to finish our chores unless we want an early shower.”

Nico smiles. “Have you finished your chores, Will?”

“Um, no,” Will says. “But I will. I get distracted, you know.” He’s not sure why he adds that last part, but he’s pleased when Nico’s blush deepens.

“Well, don’t get too distracted. I’m not braving the pouring rain to pull you inside.”

“And here I thought we’d make you a country boy yet,” Will says. He tips his hat, more for something to do than anything. “Just try to be back at the house around four or so.”

Nico’s attention gets pulled away again as another family comes up to check out. Will makes his way to the horse barn where Lee’s brushing off the horses, making sure they’ll be okay when the rain hits. While everyone knew they’d be okay, their father was very vocal about the horses’ care.

“I think you’ve got a crush,” Lee says the moment Will walks in. He doesn’t even have time to hide his blush. “And I think it’s pretty well reciprocated, too.”

Will shrugs. It’s been almost a month since Nico started working here, and Will’s honestly surprised at how quickly he’s fallen for Nico. Usually, by this time, he’d be on awkward date number one or two or moving on to the next crush. But this one was sticking around.

“Are you sure it’s me?” Will asks. He’s not ignorant of how attractive his family is. He's seen the love letters that Lee’s received, the boys that whistle at Kayla (before getting flipped off), Michael’s fair share of one-night stands and girlfriends. Even Austin has admirers. But Will’s always preferred to keep his love history small and neat.

“Pretty sure,” Lee says. “He was definitely watching you the other day while you were cleaning out this barn. If only Michael started picking up his slack around here. The sooner he stops pouting, the less stuff he’d have to do.”

Will laughs. Michael would pout until Mama let him go on that beach trip with his girlfriend or whatever it was he wanted to do. This whole thing was being dragged out so long that Will wasn’t even sure there was an argument in there. Maybe Michael just really wanted off the farm.

“Sure it’s not just that he likes the farm? Or Mama’s cooking?”

Lee sighs. “Look, Will. We all know Nico’s not a country guy. He showed up the first day wearing skinny jeans and a jacket. So, it’s a grand theory to say that he probably took the job because of you and that he’s sticking it out for you.” Lee pauses. “Which isn’t to say that he hasn’t found a liking for the job. But you’re the main reason he’s here. So go for it.”

“But-“ Will starts.

“And I don’t want to catch you two making out against barns and in fields or whatever it is that happens in books, kay?”

Will rolls his eyes. “Yeah, okay. And I think it’s in the back of trucks.”

Lee’s eyes widen. “Don’t you dare touch my truck!” Will just laughs.  
-  
The rain comes faster than Nico thought it would. He’d just closed up the cart, locked everything away, and was walking down the road when the rain started. At first, it wasn’t all that bad. But then he slipped on the mud as the rain got heavier, obscuring his sight to just a few inches in front of him.

“Nico!” he hears a voice call. He has no idea how someone is managing to shout in this. He can hardly breathe more air than water at this moment, and it doesn’t help that he’s soaked through. He feels a strong hand take his, and he can hardly tell if it’s Will or Lee or Michael through the rain.

He stumbles again, and then he’s being lifted, cradled, really. He doesn’t have time to complain before he’s turning his head into the guy’s chest to try and breathe properly. It never seemed to rain like this in the city. Either that or he never went outside. Which this was a good reason to not go outside.

“I’ve got him. Change of clothes, please, Michael.” He’s set down on the porch, probably because he’s completely drenched. He pushes his hair back, breathing deeply. Now that he can see, he realizes that it’s Lee standing in front of him, unabashedly stripping down to his boxers.

“Do I have to do that?” Nico asks. Lee blinks, laughing.

“You don’t have to, but Mama’s not going like you dripping all over the house.” Nico nods, slowly peeling off his clothes. Despite the summer heat just a few minutes ago, he finds himself cold. “I’ll get your change of clothes or you can come in. Just hang your stuff over the railing. It’ll dry eventually.”

Nico does as he’s told, standing up and almost falling over when he comes face to face with a half-naked Will. It seems Will also got caught in the rain, and now they’re all standing outside in their boxers. Will shakes his head, sending water flying. Lee drops a towel over Will’s head, snorting.

“You look like a wet dog.” He hands Nico a towel before drying himself off. Nico looks away as Lee gets dressed like he does this every day. Nico supposes with the number of clothes he’s seen hanging over the porch railing that they probably do do this often enough. He imagines Naomi not wanting them to track in mud and dirt and crap all over the house.

“Nice sweater,” Nico says when he has the dignity to look up again. Will smiles, his cheeks a little red. His freckles stand out from where his skin is paler because of the cold. He’s wearing a pale yellow sweater and sweatpants that shouldn’t match, but Will seems to make it work.

“You can get dressed. We’re not going to make you stand out here in your underwear just because you got caught in the rain,” Will says. Nico flushes, forgetting that he’s just holding his pants like an idiot. He quickly gets dressed, not exactly sure whose clothes he’s in. He didn’t bring sweatpants.

They head inside to the warm smell of cinnamon. Kayla hands them mugs of hot cocoa, and Nico catches her winking at Will. They settle on the couch, and Nico thinks it’s strange to see the whole Solace family sitting around in loungewear. He hasn’t even seen any of them in pjs. They’re always dressed and ready.

“We need this rain,” Naomi says, “but it could definitely be nicer to the crops. I moved all of the flowerpots onto the porch and got the umbrella down just as it started really raining.”

“Let’s get this party started!” Kayla announces, her arms suddenly full of board games and movies. She drops them on the coffee table, narrowly missing Lester’s mug. “So, where we do want to start?”

They start with Uno as an easy bridge into more complex and intense competition. Nico’s glad he’s sitting next to Will because if not, he’s not sure he’d be able to keep his eyes from drifting. While Will in his work clothes is an incredible sight, he’s also finding that he likes this softer side of Will. The sweater hides the lean curves, bringing out Will’s dimples and bright laugh and makes Nico think of late nights cuddling on the couch.

Nico’s not sure how one man can be both irresistibly attractive and also unnecessarily adorable.

For dinner, Naomi brings up a sandwich platter and bowls of soup. There’s a movie on in the background while Kayla somehow manipulates everyone out of their money in Monopoly. Nico can’t even imagine playing Monopoly with his family, and somehow the Solaces are still friends afterward.

“Do you guys do this every rainy afternoon?”

“Depends on how much rain and when,” Michael says. “Sometimes, we just end up taking naps before we have to go out later. But this rain is supposed to head into the night. And sometimes we have to go out into the rain if it’s not too bad. After all, the animals still need to be fed.”

“But I’m taking care of that tonight,” Lester says, “so none of you guys worry about it.”

Nico nods. He settles further into the couch, nursing a mug of hot tea. Will’s squished into his side because Lee wanted to prove that they could indeed fit four people on the couch (even though Nico’s pretty sure he’s basing this on when everyone was smaller and younger). It would probably work better if Austin didn’t have his legs sprawled over Kayla’s lap. Not that Nico minds having Will pressed into his side.

“Are you cold?” Will asks. “We have blankets. Mama won’t turn on the fire until it gets colder outside.” Nico shakes his head. Between the long-sleeved shirt he’s wearing and Will’s body heat, he’s plenty warm. He turns his attention to Michael who’s trying to convince him to play a game of Scrabble.

“You two are super cute,” Kayla says when Nico’s basking in his victory. (Michael’s off pouting with another slice of pie.) Nico turns to see what she’s talking about and gets a mouthful of Will’s soft curls. While he playing, he’d felt something kind of heavy drop onto his shoulder, but he’d just assumed Will was watching. Now, it’s clear that Will’s fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“Great. And now I have to pee.” Though, he’s secretly flattered.

Kayla laughs. “Well, you’re probably okay. He’s a pretty heavy sleeper. In fact, he’ll just cuddle up with you again when you get back.”

It turns out that this is true. When Nico reclaims his spot, Will settles comfortably into his side, draping an arm across Nico’s lap. Nico’s embarrassed when he notices the rest of the Solace family smiling at him. Kayla and Lee are smirking at each other.

“We’ll have to wake him up soon or he’ll just stay up reading all night,” Naomi says with an affectionate sigh.

Austin and Lee go to do the dishes while Naomi puts in a load of laundry. Lester goes to feed the animals, and Kayla tags along. Probably to give Nico and Will some privacy more than anything.

Nico turns to Will, shaking him gently. His arm is starting to fall asleep, and he feels kind of bad that everyone’s working while he’s just providing a pillow for Will. He shakes Will again, and Will curls his arm around Nico’s waist before blinking sleepily.

Nico has to resist kissing him right then and there because that’s the most adorable thing he’s ever seen. Will sighs, thumping his forehead gently against Nico’s shoulder. Then he sits up, stretching and yawning. His sweater rides up, and Nico catches sight again of that toned stomach, a few freckles scattered around his belly button.

“You’re a good pillow,” Will mumbles. He rubs his eyes. “And you smell good.”

Nico laughs. He’s pretty sure he smells like cinnamon and Will. (He figured out whose clothes he was wearing when he saw the W written on the tag.) He shifts, trying to wake up his arms and legs. He needs to stretch, but he’s not sure he can get himself to get off of the couch.

“I had a good dream,” Will says, still yawning and smiling. “You were in it, I think.” He tilts his head, thinking. “Yeah. We were picking strawberries.”

Nico doesn’t point out that they were picking strawberries together just the other day to sell at the market. He just watches Will stretch and sips at his probably cold tea.

“And then we kissed,” Will almost whispers. The sounds of the dishes and the rain seem suddenly quiet, Will’s words echoing in his head.

“Yeah?” Nico asks.

Will hums. Then a blush takes over his cheeks as he realizes what he’s just said. Nico smiles. “Nico, could I kiss you?”

Their noses bump as they figure out what they’re doing. Nico can feel Will smiling against his lips, and he can’t help but smile back. Will’s so warm and soft, toned and strong, perfect. His tongue swipes over Nico’s lips, and Nico giggles. (He can’t remember the last time he giggled.)

“Remember,” Lee says appearing in the doorway. “No truck.”

Will groans, throwing a pillow at his older brother before grabbing Nico’s hand and dashing upstairs.

“And no closed or locked doors!” Naomi calls after them.  
-  
Will’s pretty sure he’s living in some kind of dream world. Because only in books or movies would he be this happy. He’s laying in the grass, weaving a flower crown for Nico while his family walks through the market. Technically, they’ve been tasked with setting out the picnic and talking to family friends, but Will had found the perfect place to set up.

They’re underneath a leafy tree, the leaves casting pretty shadows across Nico’s face as he sorts the food. Will finishes the crowns, mostly a collection of dandelions and flowers that people have donated to his cause. (There are perks to having a lot of family friends.)

“Ta-da!” He presents the crown to Nico, Nico blushing. Will presses a quick kiss to Nico’s cheeks before scooting so that he’s sitting on the blanket. He’s still very new to this type of relationship, one that doesn’t feel constricted by time or family circumstances. He’s got Nico at least for the summer, and then they’ll talk about what they want to do in the fall later. (Though Nico’s mentioned sticking around and helping around the farm. Apple and pumpkin season was always hectic.)

“Lovely, Will. I’ve always wanted to wear weeds on my head,” Nico laughs.

Will pretends to pout. “Weeds can be pretty, too.” Nico shrugs, placing it on his head. The yellow stands out dramatically against Nico’s black hair. And he’s gotten pretty tan, too, Will notes.

His family joins them one by one, Mama last as she closes up their booth. The strawberries always sell out fast, and their other produce always does well. Will likes these Saturdays, when they can all just hang out and socialize. They don’t have to rush off because they forgot to close the barn door or turn off the sprinkler system.

Will slips his hand into Nico’s when they’re done eating, just feeling happy.

“So, Michael keeps telling me about the lake,” Nico says. Behind Nico, Will can see Michael give him a thumbs-up. Will rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, Michael’s just dying to go,” Will says. “And if we go, he’ll be able to bring his girlfriend.” His parents had a strict policy that family time was family time, and significant others were only included once they were approved. Michael’s girlfriend had yet to be approved because Michael kept putting off the family dinner, insisting that they weren’t that serious.

But going to the lake was a friends and family thing, so anyone could come.

“It’ll give you a chance to initiate Nico into the family officially, though,” Kayla says. Nico glances at Will.

“He’s already a part of the family,” Will says.

Kayla rolls her eyes. “But a part of you wants to see Nico jump off the rope swing,” she says. Will huffs. He’d love to see Nico in a bathing suit.

“I was thinking we could go next weekend,” Mama says, breaking into their conversation. “Nico, if your family wanted to join, they’re more than welcome.”

Nico smiles. “I’ll see if Hazel can manage to tear herself away from her boyfriend for a day.”

Dad laughs. “Well, he’s welcome, too.” Nico nods, turning to Will.

“Hey, thanks for hiring me,” he whispers. “And I wouldn’t mind going to the lake. The rope swing sounds fun.”

Will laughs. “Well, once you go on the rope swing officially, you’re family. That means you’re stuck with us for better or worse.”

Nico leans into his side, smiling. He tilts his head up to kiss Will’s chin. “I think I’ll be okay with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based on a prompt on vaguewriting.tumblr :) (by bouyantsaturn): https://vaguewriting.tumblr.com/post/177395223192/cowboy-will-and-city-boy-nico-au
> 
> (if someone knows how to link that, maybe let me in on that, please?)


	16. understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will likes Nico. Nico turns him down. Can he make things right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: character death (before the story begins), mention of anxiety, anxious feelings, depressive feelings, car accidents, mention of drunk driving
> 
> please let me know if I need to add any tags :)

Nico smiles before he realizes it, quickly schooling his facial expression to one closer to boredom. He’s not quick enough as he catches Jason trying to lean over his shoulder, glancing at the phone screen. Nico can tell Jason’s overly invested in what Nico’s doing right now. It isn’t like Nico to show emotions in public, especially ones of happiness.

Not that he’s supposed to be happy. Because it’s just a text from Will, nothing out of the ordinary.

He and Will have been texting ever since they had a class together last semester (a biology course that Nico hadn’t read the course description for carefully enough), and numbers were traded once Nico realized he was a bit in over his head. Since then, Will would randomly pop up in Nico’s life, either texting him or sometimes bringing Nico coffee.

It was nice, but Nico was wary. Not because Will seemed evil or anything; he was far from it. But Nico had heard rumors of Will, just a few, and they were enough to wonder what Will was like once you really got to know him. Nico wasn’t one for judging, but it was difficult when it came to Will Solace. He didn’t have a lot of friends, spent a lot of time studying, seemed to know Nico’s semester relatively well for never being told what Nico’s schedule was. But he seemed nice and friendly, despite the rumors.

“Who’s that?” Jason sings, poking Nico’s shoulder. “A boy?”

Nico rolls his eyes. Jason was absurdly childish when it came to Nico and boys. He was worse than Nico’s sisters, and they were always trying to set him up on dates.

“Yeah, I had to get some notes from when I overslept the other day,” Nico says.

Jason huffs, telling Nico that he sniffed out that lie pretty quick. “Fine. But when you two start making out, I want to meet him. Before, preferably, but I know how you are.”

Nico’s not sure ‘how he is’, but he just nods. He’s had a couple of flings since coming to college, but he hasn’t really dated anyone seriously. He’s still settling into the college life, still trying to figure out what he’s doing here, trying not to fall for any more stupid straight boys. (They were all ridiculously handsome and ridiculously stupid once seen up close.)

He replies to Will’s text, just a simple good morning that kind of makes Nico’s heart flutter a little bit. If he’s being sappy, he kind of feels like he’s being courted, but he’s pretty sure he’s just one of a few who probably receive good morning texts from Will. (Although, after the first few times, Will had started sending them after noon, remembering that Nico always slept in on the weekends when he could.)

In between finishing up homework and procrastinating said homework, Nico texts back and forth with Will. For some weird reason, he feels like he can just open up to Will, tell him everything and anything. He imagines Will’s smiling face, those freckles, and he finds himself typing out whatever comes to mind. And then he remembers the rumors circulating about Will and filters his responses.

He knows it’s stupid to believe rumors, but they aren’t widespread like most, circulating just among the two people Will’s dated previously and Nico. It’d started with just a simple warning that Will got clingy once labels were sorted out. And then it escalated into Will needing to know where everyone was and when, schedules being laid bare and last minute changes sending him into a frenzy.

So it’s stupid to believe the rumors, but Nico does. Because he likes his privacy, his personal space, and he’s not sacrificing something he needs for a relationship. So he makes sure to try and keep Will on the edges of a friendship, not letting himself fall for the charm and whatever else it is that makes Nico just want to ask Will out for coffee.

Are you going home this weekend? Will texts. Nico responds back that he isn’t, his sisters are coming to see him. He’s only got two days off, and they’ve got four days somehow. Will sends back a smiley face, and Nico waits a few moments to see if Will’s going to follow up. (Nico’s never sure if smiley faces are conversation enders like Bianca says they are or if they’re a flirtation device like Hazel thinks. But he does know that he’s never sure how to respond to them.)

Nico watches the bubble pop up under Will’s name, sighing. For the rest of the morning (read: afternoon) they talk about bands and dogs and Pokémon, though neither of them plays. Somehow, they end up playing Pictionary, sending each other scraps of paper with bad drawings on them. Nico laughs when Will sends him what’s supposed to be a squirrel.

He catches Jason’s curious glance from across the room. He quickly sketches out a beehive and sends it back.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you liked this guy,” Jason says.

All at once, Nico’s good mood fades. Because he can’t like Will. They’re just text-buddies, someone that they can count on to fill their free time and relieve their boredom. They aren’t even friends. Nico’s not exactly sure why he’s so scared of dating Will (aside from the threat on his privacy), but maybe it’s the fact that people have warned him away from Will. That’s got to say something, right?  
-  
Will’s hurrying to grab some coffee when the date hits him out of the blue. It feels like a kick in the gut, and he almost topples over. Cecil steadies him with a hand to his shoulder, practically forcing him to sit down. Will sags in the chair, resting the side of his head against the cold glass of the window. He’s pretty sure one of the baristas is giving him a dirty look for dirtying the glass, but he doesn’t care. It feels good.

“Hey, man,” Cecil says. “Stay there, okay? I’ll be right back. Just going to get us to drinks.”

Will wants to protest that he doesn’t drink - won’t ever drink - when he remembers where he is. He’s in a coffee shop near campus. He’s probably freaking out the children or whoever’s in here at this time. What time even is it? Is he going to be late for classes?

He doesn’t feel like going to class, but he also doesn’t feel like spending the entire day in some brain fog all because he forgot. He can’t believe he forgot.

“Did you remember?” Will asks when Cecil sits down across from him. Cecil blinks.

“I didn’t until you about face-planted,” he says slowly. Will doesn’t have the brain capacity to tell if Cecil’s telling the truth or just trying to make him feel better. “Here. Drink.” He shoves a warm cup into Will’s hands. Will notes that he’s splurged to get them real mugs instead of those styrofoam cups that destroy the earth.

“It just feels weird this year,” Will says. “This whole year has felt off.” He takes a sip, almost spitting out his drink when he realizes that it’s not coffee. It’s hot chocolate. He should have noticed the smell. He takes another sip, burning his tongue a little. The pain helps a bit.

“Do you know why?” Cecil asks gently. Neither of them mentions that their class has started.

“I think it’s because I’m older than him now. With my birthday this summer, I’m officially a year older than he’ll ever be.” Cecil nods slowly. Will’s never been so thankful that he and Cecil wanted to go to the same college. They’d been neighbors and friends by default all through elementary and middle school. And then in high school, they just became actual friends. And now in college, it was nice having Cecil around. One friend Will didn’t have to explain anything to.

“I know he was your brother,” Cecil says, “but I kind of miss him sometimes. Even though I never really knew him.” Will nods. Cecil was at their house enough to be around Lee, to get the general gist of who he was. Out of the three of the Solace children, everyone said Will and Lee were the most alike. Michael didn’t stick out like a sore thumb so much as he wanted to. Especially after the accident.

“We should probably get to class,” Will says. He drains his mug, cupping his hands close to it, trying to seep out the rest of the warmth.

“You want to?” Cecil asks. Will knows that if he asked, Cecil would skip class for him. He nods. He needs something to distract him, and wandering aimlessly around the city isn’t going to help.

They get to class halfway through the lecture, but the professor doesn’t say anything. Cecil says something to him right after class, but Will doesn’t stick around to listen. He waits for Cecil on the quad, his eyes squinting from the too bright light. It seemed too sunny for an October day, a day when someone died.

“Are you going home this weekend?” Cecil asks. Will shakes his head. Michael wasn’t going to be there, and it was always too close to the actual date for there to be any relief at going home. Everyone would be engaged in mourning again, and it was suffocating. “Want to come to my place? Or we can just take one of those stupid tours around the city.”

Will cracks a smile. “I’m never going to be caught on one of those buses,” he says. He shivers. “If we’re going to have a tour, we’re going to have a proper tour.”

“Deal,” Cecil says. “But I think we’re going to be missing out.”

Will cringes. “Take Lou then. I’m sure you could convince her.”

Cecil winces. “I can see it already. She’d embrace it.” Will laughs, nodding. Lou Ellen was her own brand of weird. He bumps Cecil with his shoulder as a way of saying thank you. He’s not sure how he got so lucky as to have a friend like Cecil, but he did.

“I should call Mama,” Will says as they get back to their room. Cecil nods.

“Yeah, but when you’re ready, okay?” Will nods. Even though he only had one class today, he’s exhausted. He just wants to nap the rest of the day away, but he’s got stuff to do. He drags his stuff out to the common area, sitting next to the large window.

He’s about to start on his paper when he gets a text from Nico. He’s confused at first because Nico never texts him first. But then he realizes that Nico’s answering a question he asked last night. He rolls his eyes, wondering if Nico is ever awake properly before noon.

My nightmares involved giant lizards trying to fight me for the best rock to nap on, Nico’s responded. You? Will smiles. It’s so ridiculous that he has to let out a small laugh. Usually, he’d respond with the first thing he thinks of, treating texting like an actual conversation, but he stops himself this time. His childhood nightmares are slightly different than his now. But the difference between then and now is that it’s actually a real thing now.

He responds that he used to be scared of Sour Patch Kids, only ever able to eat the watermelon ones for fear that they would exact revenge upon him. It’s true, a real fear he had when he was little, but he’d gotten over it pretty quickly when Michael ate an entire package with no repercussions (somehow).

Will feels both scared and reckless right now, and he’s not sure how to deal with it. He thinks about going back to the room and asking Cecil if he wants to go downtown. Instead, he finds himself texting Nico.

Want to meet up for lunch?  
-  
Nico’s not sure why he agreed to this. He’s been texting Will for a year, and the only times they’ve ever seen each other in person were when they had class together and when Will would sometimes surprise Nico with coffee. (But they never talked for more than a few minutes then.)  
But now they’re meeting up for lunch.

Nico’s not sure what to expect when Will walks in, but it’s not what he sees. He’s expecting Will’s usual smile, for Will to say something to start the conversation, for a little bit of awkwardness. Instead, Will’s not smiling (looks more like he’s just going through some motions), sits down without more than a small quirk of his mouth, and doesn’t say anything.

“Um,” Nico says after a moment. They’re at a taco place because that’s what Nico suggested in the end. It’s not classy by any means, and it’s definitely cheap. A waiter has already come by for their drink orders, and Will still hasn’t said much more than hello. “What’s up?” Nico tries.

“Life,” Will says, sounding more like he’s sighing than talking. “Gods, this was a bad idea.” He runs his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry I’m such a disaster right now.”

Nico shrugs, though he is still wondering why Will invited him out. He’d kind of expected Will to ask him out eventually, but he’d kind of expected something more upbeat and flirtatious. Like Will’s texts and spontaneous coffee trips.

“Tacos might help,” Nico offers. Will nods.

“I haven’t had a taco in forever,” he says. “The cafeteria ones are gross.” Nico smiles, nodding. The cafeteria had about three things it could make with consistent approval: pizza, salad, and yogurt. (Nico’s also pretty sure two of those things are bought and just have to be unfrozen.)

“These are much better, I promise.” Will cracks a small smile here. After a few more minutes, they get a basket of chips to share, and Will seems to be feeling more like himself. Nico thinks he should ask what’s going on, but he doesn’t quite know how to ask it.

By the time they get their food, Will seems to be back to his usual self. He and Nico are debating the different forms of dragons, which one is better and whether or not they’d like to be a dragon or some other mythical creature. It’s a pointless argument, but Nico finds himself enjoying it.

“While I think it’d be cool to have wings,” Will is saying, “I think it’d be cool if you could still fly without them. Like those Chinese dragons, you know? Then you could trick people.”

“Or what if you could have our wings pop out when you wanted them? So it’d be like a surprise.”

Will shrugs. “I just like the idea of flying. And breathing fire. And being cool.” He laughs. Nico smiles.

“I think you’re pretty cool,” Nico says before he can think better of it. Will looks surprised to hear this, blinking, his cheeks turning a little pink.

“Yeah?” he asks. Nico shrugs. “Well, I think you’re pretty cool, too.”

This is familiar territory, but usually, it’s over text so Nico can just pretend that it’s not being said like that. With Will’s cheeks pink and him smiling so that his freckles seem to fall into his dimples. And not being able to hide behind his phone as he smiles and tries to pretend that Will’s not getting to him.

“Thanks,” Nico says, his voice a little flatter than he’d meant. Will straightens up.

The waiter comes back around with their checks, and they each pay their bit. Will finishes off his water, clearing his throat.

“Would you, um, want to do this again?” Will asks. Nico’s still debating when Will adds, “Like maybe a date? It can be something different than tacos. Unless you really like tacos.”

Nico wants to say yes because he’s had fun today, and he thinks he likes Will. And why not? Other than the fact that he can’t but hear Will’s exes’ warnings. That Will was clingy and invaded privacy. That he seemed perfectly charming and normal for the first week or so before he started asking about schedules and where they were and what they were doing and when they’d back. And that Will was emotionally manipulative, making you feel guilty for turning him down, saying no, lying about where you were going.

“No,” Nico hears himself saying, and Will’s smile falls. “I just mean, I don’t think we should date,” Nico says a bit nicer. We don’t really know each other that well.”

Will shrugs. “That’s what dates are for. To get to know the other person.” Nico knows that’s true, and he’s lying. Because he does know Will somewhat. Will’s probably been more honest than Nico has. Will’s still frowning, and Nico kind of wants to say yes just to make it disappear. But would that mean he’s being manipulated? That he’ll get stuck in a guilt trap?

“I’m sorry, Will. I don’t want to date you,” Nico says. Will blinks.

“Do you want to be friends still?” Will asks. He still looks a bit hopeful. “Because I can understand if you just want friendship.”

Nico shakes his head. “We weren’t really friends, Will,” Nico says softly. “I was just texting back so I wouldn’t hurt your feelings.”

“Oh,” Will says, and it sounds kind of like someone’s punched him in the stomach just now. “Right. Sorry.” He’s blinking fast like he might cry.

Nico’s not sure what to do, so he just gives Will an awkward wave before leaving.  
-  
Will’s not sure what gets into him. The reckless, impulsive feeling keeps growing. And he knows he shouldn’t listen to it anymore, but it’s getting hard not to. Even though it’s already ruined his friendship (or whatever that was) with Nico. He wants to call his mom, but she probably won’t want to listen to him crying about some unrequited crush when she’s mourning Will’s brother. Like Will should be.

But he’s just angry right now. Angry and hurt. He’s angry that he’s letting people hurt him. Angry that Lee died. Angry at the drunk driver who hit him. He’s hurt that Nico doesn’t like him, doesn’t even want to be his friend. Hurt that somehow his dead brother is taking precedence over his life. And then he feels guilty that he’s blaming this all on Lee who never asked for any of this. Guilty that he’s making this all about him.

He leaves Cecil a note, a habit that he can’t find it in himself to break. Especially when he’s so scared about how he’s feeling. He knows what he should be doing (calling his therapist, his mom, Cecil, anyone, or just staying home), but he can’t bring himself to. He’s never felt this reckless before, such a disregard for his life. He wonders if this is how Michael feels all the time. If so, it would explain some things.

He grabs his phone and keys and leaves the dorms. He doesn’t have a car because he’s never needed one, but he wishes now that he did. He could go back and ask Cecil to borrow the keys, to drive him someplace, to steal his keys, but he doesn’t. He keeps walking.

Will doesn’t know where he’s going, only that he needs to keep walking. He tries to watch some dogs playing in the park, some kids picking out pumpkins. He watches the sunset while he’s sitting outside some bakery. He feels like he should eat, but he can’t bring himself to put the sandwich in his mouth. So he gives it to a homeless man who thanks him over and over. Even though Will feels worse than ever.

He knows what this is, what’s happening, but he can’t seem to bring himself out of it. His mind is telling him to run, so he does. He startles the lady next to him as he takes off down the street. Someone asks if he’s missed his bus. He keeps running.

Darkness is falling as his lungs are squeezing to give him enough air to breathe. He should have grabbed his jacket. He’s not exactly cold, but he feels like he can’t get warm. Cecil’s called him at least six times, texted him. His mom has called him, texted him. Nico’s texted him, an apology for the ruined lunch.

It’s the last text that sends him spiraling towards the sidewalk, the ground. The road spreads out before him, and Will sink to his knees. Because Nico doesn’t care. He’s just worried now that Will’s run away and is going crazy. Or whatever the word is for this. He can’t think of it right now. Not when he remembers Nico turning him down, that phone call from his mom telling him that Lee was never coming home.

The last thought almost sobers him. He can’t do this to his mom again. She’s already lost one son. Two if you counted Michael. He shouldn’t do this to Cecil, to Michael, to himself. He stands up to walk back home, but then he’s filled with blinding pain. Headlights flash across his vision. One moment, he’d been crouching too close to the street. The next, he’s laying on his back, staring into a stranger’s face.

He feels hands on him, pain ripping down his side, up the back of his head. He’s trying to tell them that he needs to get back to his mom, his friend, his brother. He thinks he’s crying. All he succeeds in doing is retching onto the sidewalk.

“I’m sorry,” is all he registers before everything blacks out.  
-  
Jason has this weird look on his face when Nico gets back from classes. Nico yawns, just wanting to crawl into bed or a long nap. He felt a little disappointed when he didn’t receive any sorts of good mornings texts from Will, but then he remembers turning Will down. He shouldn’t be expecting any sort of texts.

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” Nico asks.

“You had lunch with Will, right? Before break?” Nico nods, tugging off his jeans. He’s still tired from spending the break with his sisters. They hadn’t seen each other since summer, and Bianca and Hazel felt the need to cram everything into two days.

“Um, yes. Why?” He hasn’t told Jason anything about the lunch, really. To tell him that things had ended badly would open up a conversation about why Nico was mostly responsible for that. And then another conversation about how Nico felt bad for hurting Will because he actually missed Will. Even with how busy the last several days had been, he misses seeing Will’s name pop up on his phone.

“Did you hear about his accident?” Jason asks. “I just heard about it this morning. Apparently, he got hit by a car.” Jason shakes his head.

“What? Is he okay?” Nico asks. Jason can’t just drop news like that on him and not tell him everything.

“I guess so. I haven’t really heard too much. His friend stopped by earlier, while you were in class, to give you an update. I took the message.” He pauses. “Was he who you’ve been texting?”

Nico shrugs. He doesn’t really think it matters all that much right now. He hurt Will, and then some car tried to run over him. Or maybe Will stepped in front of the car? Nico shakes his head. Will wouldn’t do that. Not because Nico rejected him.

“Nico?” Jason prompts.

“Yes, we texted. But only a little bit.” He scrolls to the last text he’d sent. Just an apology that feels so empty now that Will’s probably laying in a hospital with who knows how many bones broken and things wrong. Selfishly, he kind of hopes that in all the chaos, Will’ll forget about their botched lunch together.

“Did you like him?” Jason asks. “You always seemed excited when he texted you. I know I’ve caught you smiling once or twice.”

Nico shrugs again. “Why does that matter?” Jason shrugs.

“Just, maybe he likes you back. And it’d be nice to go and see him.” Nico finishes changing clothes, throwing himself into bed.

As it turns out, Nico’s a coward. So he doesn’t go and visit Will when he wakes up or even in the next two days. He doesn’t really think about it either until he sees Will hobbling across the quad. Nico’s heart pinches, and he changes his path.

“Hey,” he says softly when Will stops in front of him. He’s got a broken leg, a few scratches across his face. Nico wonders if his sweater hides more. He doesn’t ask. “Um, how’ve you been?”

“Good, yeah,” Will mumbles. He’s not quite meeting Nico’s eyes. “Are you in my classes?” Will asks after a moment. Nico blinks, taking a step back. Is Will forgetting that they ever talked? Is that how he’s coping with this?

“We, um, had class together last year,” Nico says. He’s about to say that they were friends when he remembers that he told Will that they weren’t. He can’t lie to Will again. “Nico di Angelo,” Nico adds, starting to feel really awkward about this whole thing.

“Oh, um,” Will says. “I had an accident. And I think I’m forgetting things,” he says. “Temporary, hopefully. Sorry. I should go.” He moves around Nico, and Nico lets him. He’s not sure if he’s relieved or disappointed that Will doesn’t remember him or their horrible lunch. He thinks he’s relieved until he remembers that Will couldn’t seem to meet his eyes. He wants to write it off as a result of the accident, but he can’t help but feel it’s something else.

“He didn’t remember you?” Jason asks when Nico tells him about it.

“I don’t think so. It didn’t seem like he was faking,” Nico says. He’s not sure why it bothers him so much. He should be relieved, moving on with his life. Instead, he feels stuck.

“You know you didn’t cause the accident,” Jason says after a moment of silence. Nico sags into his bed. He feels guilty. “Something else probably happened. Like he got distracted or the driver was distracted. I don’t think it’s because you rejected him.”

Nico almost regrets telling Jason about the lunch when he got back. But he needed someone else’s opinion. He wonders if he should just leave it alone now. He buries his face in the pillow, groaning.

“What do you want?” Jason asks softly. “Like, do you want him to remember you? Do you still like him?”

Nico groans again. He has no idea what he wants. Other than to make things right. He hates this guilty feeling in his chest. Why did he even listen to those other guys? Maybe he would have liked a clingy Will. He can imagine Will hugging him like a koala would, and he feels himself blush. And then the guilt stabs him again.

“You know, his memory might come back. It could be concussion-induced. So it might not last forever.” Nico hopes not. While he’d like a clean slate, he doesn’t think he deserves one.  
-  
Going back is hard. All Will can remember with clarity is his studies and his family. And Cecil. He gets flashes of high school, though he’s not sure he ever really remembered high school with much clarity. He tells Cecil about Nico, trying to figure out why Nico came up to him.

He’s been asked by a few people who seem to suddenly care about him. He’s still wallowing in a bit of guilt about the fact that he got hit by a car. He knows he scared his family and Cecil. His mom still can’t quite look at him without crying a little, and he understands. He knows how he could have turned out. Or not.

“Maybe give him a chance,” Cecil says when Will asks about Nico again. He’s gone through all of his old texts, smiling when he reads over Nico’s answers. Does he have a crush on Nico? He thinks he might of, but he also can’t help but feel sad. Like something happened outside of their texts that he can’t remember. It’s frustrating, and he knows straining his mind won’t help any.

“Do you know what happened?” Will asks. Cecil just shrugs, and Will sighs. If he knew what happened, he could stop worrying about somehow messing up again. Because he gets the feeling that he’s messed up already. Did Nico not like him back? Did Will offend him? He’s already crossed out the idea that Cecil doesn’t like him or that Cecil’s jealous.

“Just see where it goes,” Cecil says. “It’s not every day someone gets a second chance.”

So Will does. Nico always seems hesitant when he talks to Will, but Will smiles and tries to remember things from their texts. They talk about dragons and flowers and the weather. Nico brings Will coffee sometimes, smiling shyly when Will thanks him.

He still feels like he shouldn’t be doing this, that he’s just setting himself up for hurt, but he can’t stop hanging out with Nico. Especially when he can’t think of a good reason why. Because Nico’s nice and funny and smart. He helps Will with some of his homework, reminds him softly when Will forgets names or gets Nico mixed up with someone else.

“How much do you remember before the accident?” Nico asks one day. They’re sipping coffee outside the math hall. Lately, they’ve been hanging out more in person. Will’s not sure why as it seems their former relationship was mostly over text, but he doesn’t complain. Even if it is a little cold outside.

“What do you mean?” Will asks. It’s hard for anyone to just remember everything. “Like, about high school, about college, about our dragon conversation?”

Nico smiles, shaking his head. “About dating, I guess. Have you dated before?” He seems like he knows the answer already.

“I think so. Well, I can remember some people. One in high school. One in college. Last year, maybe? Why?”

Nico shrugs. “Just curious. Do you remember what they were like?”

Will’s confused, but he nods. “Kind of. I think we didn’t exactly see eye to eye on things. I had some things I was going through, and it probably wasn’t good to work those things out and also be in a relationship. I think they broke up with me.”

Nico nods slowly. “Are you still working through those things?”

Will winces. “Yeah,” he says, letting out his breath. “Um, I get really anxious sometimes,” he starts. He’s not sure why he’s telling Nico this. “Um, like, my brother died when I was in high school. And certain things make me really anxious. Like random phone calls and people being where they’re not supposed to be. Or being later than they’re supposed to be. And I guess that doesn’t translate well into romantic relationships. Or any relationships.” He sighs.

He’s not sure why he just blurted that out. But it felt kind of good. “I guess that can be seen as clingy,” Nico says softly. “If someone didn’t understand.”

Will shrugs. “It just makes me jump to the worst conclusion. That they’re in trouble or dead or breaking up with me. I don’t know.” He glances over at Nico. Nico’s looking over at him softly.

“You never tell them?”

Will shakes his head. “Never felt like a good time. Besides, no one wants to hear about someone else’s dead brother and how sometimes phone calls make me spiral into a panic attack. Sorry,” he adds.

Nico shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be sorry. And you should tell people that. It might help them understand where you’re coming from.” Will nods. “And it might help you feel better, too.”

“Probably. I feel a little better. I guess, thanks.” Nico smiles, nodding.

Will’s still thinking about that after he and Nico head in separate directions for class. He needs to go and call his mom.  
-  
Nico’s nervous. He can’t remember the last time he was this nervous. He’s already texted Will to tell him that he needed to talk to him, that it wasn’t bad, but that Nico needed to be honest, too. He hopes Will isn’t overthinking that. Nico’s doing enough overthinking for the both of them.

They meet up in what’s become their usual spot, the coffee shop near campus. It’s just a mile away, and the shuttle drives by there. Nico makes sure to get there early so Will won’t have to wait. He orders a hot tea and sits down. Will comes in a few minutes later, his cheeks pink from the cold.

“Hey,” he says, smiling a little. He seems nervous. He doesn’t even order anything, just fiddling with one of the napkins Nico was given.

“I think I should be honest with you,” Nico says, “after you were so honest with me. And I want to say I’m sorry.” Will nods slowly.

And then Nico stumbles over himself, trying to describe their lunch date. He’s been fishing for details from Will recently, and it’s clear that Will’s an example of that ‘people may forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how they made you feel’ quote.

“Wait, so I asked you out?” Will asks. Nico nods. “And you said no.” Nico nods again. “Why?”

Nico twists his own napkin. “Your exes kept telling me a bunch of stuff, and I guess it scared me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have believed them.”

Will looks hurt, sinking into his chair a little. “What kind of stuff? Was it really that bad?” Nico tells him softly. “Oh.”

“I understand it now, though,” Nico says. “And I want to apologize. Because I’m so sorry I hurt your feelings. I shouldn’t have listened to them. I should have just talked to you. And then maybe none of this would have happened.”

“It’s not your fault,” Will says after a moment. “The accident, I mean. That was on me. I wasn’t thinking straight. It was the anniversary of the day Lee died, and I wasn’t coping well. I guess what happened between us didn’t help, but it wasn’t you that caused any of that.”

Nico nods, taking a long sip of his tea. It felt good to hear that, but Will still hadn’t gotten angry at him or forgiven him. “Can we still be friends?” Nico asks, trying to prepare himself for whatever answer Will’s going to give him.

Will looks out the window, biting his lip. “You’re not going to regret this?” Will asks. Nico shakes his head.

“I regret not saying yes the first time,” Nico says. Will smiles, nodding slowly.

“I like being your friend,” Will says softly. Nico smiles back, feeling so relieved. “And while I still have a crush on you, I think we should just stay friends for now.”

Nico nods. “I like you, too. But I agree.” Will blushes, reaching his hand across the table. Nico takes it, feeling his face heat up. He has a feeling that the lines will soon be blurred between friend and crush, but he doesn’t mind.


	17. cat-napped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico gets kidnapped. Something good might come out of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: mention of kidnapping

Nico’s not sure how he let it come to this. He’d been so careful, so paranoid. He hopes that his parents and sisters aren’t too worried about him. He knows that he’s technically the crown prince, but that has little sway here in the weird dungeon-like rooms he and everyone down here is being housed in.

“What’d you do to get locked up?” a man asks. Nico honestly has no idea. He doesn’t even know where he is, but he can’t remember any kingdoms that he’s upset lately. And if anyone wanted to upset his father, they’d have taken one of his sisters. While his father cared about him, ransoms would be higher and paid sooner if it weren’t him.

“Does anyone know where we are?” Nico asks, trying to channel his authoritative voice. He doesn’t usually have to use it too often. Most people just respect him merely because of his name or his face. He’s never had to hide that part of him.

“Kingdom of Apollo,” someone calls. “I saw the crest when I was carried in.”

Nico sighs. That hardly gives him any information. Geography is not his strong suit. He thinks his own kingdom is to the north. He knows very little about Apollo from hearing his father complain about him. He knows that Apollo likes the beaches, the sunny areas, places that are too tropical for Nico’s liking.

“Does anyone know how we can get out of here?” Nico asks.

“If I knew how to get out of here, I’d have already done so!” someone snaps. Nico sighs again. He has an idea of how to get out of here, but he’s not sure how many people are down here or even how many rooms there are. Because they’re not technically dungeons, they’re in a corridor kind of place. Possibly additional servants quarters? Not that he remembers having bars on any of the doors.

He’s trying to think of the best possible escape route when a few guards come down and shove their food through the doors. Nico falls back as everyone rushes forward to grab at what they can. He can’t remember how long they’ve been down here. But it’s dark and cramped and dusty.

Someone, a lady with red eyes, has been complaining of allergies. Someone else has been complaining of what they think is a broken toe, though everyone disagrees. Nico hasn’t bothered to learn anyone’s names, though he feels like he should. As a future king, he should be commandeering the situation. Instead, he’s sitting along the sidelines, just waiting for something to happen.

“Silence!” a guard calls. Nico listens as he calls off a list of names, equally nervous and relieved when he doesn’t hear his own. The lady with the red eyes stands up. Another with snakes for hair also stands up. Then a man who can apparently live underwater also stands up. The three of them are escorted around the corner. Nico hears a large door slam shut.

“Think they’ll come back?” comes a voice. Nico slumps against the wall. After two days of trying to fend for his food, he’d given up. After all, future kings gave what they had to their people. And even if these weren’t technically his people, Nico felt responsible for them. Most of them seemed to come from far away places, and some couldn’t even speak the language.

However, a lack of food has caused him to feel dizzy when he moves too fast or tries to think too hard. He also can’t help but think that he might be getting sick. He’s developing a little cough, which he’s not sure is a sign of an actual illness or because of all of the dirt and dust. And no one’s showered for however long they’ve been here. Nico’s sensitive nose hurts.

Someone starts singing, and a few others join in. Nico thinks it sounds more like howling than actual singing, but he doesn’t mind too much.

He doesn’t know how much time passes before the three people come back. Nico notes that they don’t look particularly pleased, that they just sit down on their respective bunks, silent until the guards are gone. Everyone seems to gather around them, pestering them for answers.

“Definitely Apollo,” Nico hears. “Supernatural beings is what he’s calling us. Wants to make some sort of circus with us.” There’s a chorus of scoffs and boos. Nico doubts they’ll ever be released.

He reaches under his hat to scratch his ears, sighing when he hits a particularly good spot. He’s been hiding them from the others, not sure how they’ll react. While it’s clear now that everyone has a certain secret they may or may not be hiding, Nico would like to keep his to himself for now.  
-  
“Catch them!” a guard yells as Will gets out of the carriage. He doesn’t know what they’re talking about until he sees a few people seemingly fleeing from the castle. He doesn’t recognize them and sighs, wondering what his father’s gotten into this time. Apollo was known for his eccentric tastes, and Will just hopes that he hasn’t resorted to any crazy ideas. With all of his children and wife gone, no one knew what Apollo would do left alone.

“Don’t let them escape!” comes another cry. Will leaps into action, running towards the group as more people (or animals?) appear. He sees where they’re escaping from, a backdoor that leads into the old servant quarters. He hopes his father hasn’t waged war while he’s been gone. He’ll have to write his mother a letter.

“What’s happening? What are you running from?” Will tries to ask as he rushes through the doorway. The last few people squeeze around him. He’s about to grab someone’s wrist when he catches sight of a black cat. No, a man? He doesn’t have much time to wonder before the man’s eyes roll back and he collapses.

Will rushes forward to catch him, surprised and a little scared at how light the man is. It’s clear that he’s not a boy, and he shouldn’t weigh like one.

“My prince, we can take of him,” a guard says. Will shakes his head.

“Tell me what’s happened.”

The guard bows. “Your father’s orders, my prince. He had us round up every supernatural creature we could find and house them here. He had plans of moving them later, but the site has not yet been approved.” He looks like he wants to continue, but Will cuts him off.

“Release anyone you have caught and make sure they have the means to get back home. This one,” he says, gesturing to the man in his arms, “I’ll take him to the doctor. Please send word ahead of me that a room is to be set aside for him. And please find a maid to wait on him for the time that he is here.”

The guard stammers as he nods, offering to carry the man. Will shakes his head, sending him along. Slowly, he makes his way up the stairs. He has to think for a moment about which staircase to take. It’s been a while since he’s been down here, now that new servants quarters have been built. He’s glad that they’re a lot nicer than these appear to be. He doesn’t remember the bars being there last time.

The doctor is not here, which is partly why Will has returned earlier than the rest of his family. He lays the man on the couch, checking over his body for any signs of injury or sickness. He’s surprised when he finds a set of furry cat ears on the man’s head, a black tail poking out below his hips. He’s also surprised to find a blush crawling up his cheeks.

Quickly, he sets to work, mixing up a bit of nourishment. The only thing he can seem to find wrong is the fainting. He’ll have to wait for the man to wake up to figure out the rest. When the man shifts, Will carefully places the hat back over the cat ears. He’s not disturbed by them, but he thinks that there might be a reason the man is wearing a hat in the summer.

It’s just a few minutes until the man wakes up, blinking and stretching.

“Where am I?” he asks, his voice soft and smooth. He coughs.“The Kingdom of Apollo,” Will says. “Inside the palace. Do you think you could sit up?” The man seems hesitant, reaching for his hat as he sits up. Will smiles at him, holding out a cup. “Some tea. It might help with the fainting.”

The man sniffs it carefully before taking a sip. “This isn’t poisoned, is it?”  
Will shakes his head. “I’m Will,” he says.

“Nico,” the man says, glancing around the room. “I was on my way to leaving this place,” he adds. “So if you don’t mind.” He tries to get up, but he sways dangerously on his feet. Will stands up, steadying him.

“If you don’t mind, I think you should stay here for a bit. I promise I’ll let you leave once you’re well.”

Nico eyes him for a moment or two before sitting down. He finishes off his tea. Will offers him another. “I’m not going to sing and dance for you,” Nico says.

Will blinks. “I’m the doctor,” he says. “I just want to see you well.” Nico seems satisfied with this answer, nodding slowly. He sneezes. Will notes that his nose looks kind of red. And he’s not sure if Nico’s skin is supposed to be that pale. He offers Nico a blanket, not surprised when Nico curls up in it, practically disappearing.

“When I’m well, I want a few words with King Apollo,” Nico grumbles. Will smiles.

“We’ll see. He doesn’t respond particularly well to criticism.” Nico huffs. After finishing his third cup of tea, his eyelids start getting heavy. Will can see him struggling to stay awake. “Why don’t I show you to your room?”

He helps Nico down the hall to one of the guest rooms. The windows overlook the courtyards, and a maid has recently fluffed the pillows. Nico curls up on the bed, not even bothering to get underneath the sheets. He lays right on top of the pillows, closing his eyes. Will smiles, pulling the blanket over his shoulders.

“I’ll come to check on you in the morning, okay?” Nico hums, yawning. “I’m right across the hall if you need anything.” Another hum. “Good night.”  
-  
When Nico wakes up, the first thing he notices is that he’s no longer sleeping on a cot. Instead, he feels like he’s sinking into a cloud or a marshmallow. For a moment, he thinks he’s home again, but then he catches sight of an unfamiliar courtyard. Stretching out his limbs, he rolls over to look out the window.

It’s clear that the garden is well-cared for, bright and colorful. He grabs his blanket, moving over to the window seat to look closer. He wishes that his own room had a window seat. He’d never leave. (So maybe that’s why he doesn’t have one.) Glancing around the room, at the closed doors, he reaches to take off his hat. His ears perk up, catching sounds that are no longer muffled.

He scratches his ears, combing the fur of his tail. It’s not that he’s ashamed of what he is, but he knows how it looks to outsiders. He doesn’t like to be considered exotic or special just because he’s got cat features. He’s still very much a human.

Nico sighs, curling up on the window seat. It’s large enough that he doesn’t have to squish himself, though that feels the most natural anyway. He lays his head on the bunched up blanket, smiling. He still feels so sleepy, and he thinks his nose is a little stopped up.

He startles when there’s a knock on the door. Before he can answer, the man from yesterday - Will? - walks in. He looks a little sheepish when he spots Nico curled up on the window seat.

“Sorry to interrupt. I hope you slept well.” Nico nods, sitting up. He wants to grab his hat, but he supposes that’ll only draw more attention. “I have your breakfast. And a change of clothes. Whichever you want first. Or you can have a bath. I can draw a bath for you.”

Will’s cheeks are a bit pink at this point as he takes a deep breath and stops talking. He gestures to the cart waiting by the door. Nico can see a tray of food as well as a pile of folded clothes. He wonders if this kind of service is customary for doctors here. If so, the doctors back home need to step up their game.

“Breakfast first,” Nico says. He’s hungry after not really eating. And now that he’s talking, he can definitely tell that his nose is stuffy. He grabs a tissue by the bedside as Will wheels the cart over.

“The tea should help. And a hot breakfast.” He smiles. “Would you like for me to wait or come back later?” He stands awkwardly in front of Nico.

“Um, you can wait,” Nico says. He’s not sure if Will’s got other stuff to do, but if Nico’s left alone, he’s just going to go back to sleep. “Just in case I need help with the bath.”

Will smiles. From somewhere, he produces a bagel and starts eating it. Nico eats his eggs and bacon and one slice of toast. He doesn’t think he should eat too much, not sure how his stomach will like being suddenly full. Will excuses himself to draw Nico’s bath while Nico goes through the pile of clothes. They’re more casual than Nico usually has to wear, but Nico’s glad of that.

He’s sure that if Will knew he was a prince, he’d act very differently. Nico hates all of the formalities, the being called prince and sir. He hates the bowing, though his father insists on it. He hates always having to look presentable, always having to control his tail to make sure it doesn’t lash out or is hidden when necessary.

“There’s some soap in there,” Will says, coming back in. “And towels. I’ll just be across the hall when you’re done.” He grabs the empty cart, wheeling it out of the room. Nico heads to the bathroom, feeling slightly less dizzy than he had yesterday. He supposes that’s what a good night’s sleep does. Transforming takes a lot of energy that he didn’t have yesterday.

Nico finds a mug of tea and some cookies on a tray by the bathtub, along with an assortment of soaps and scents. He usually hates taking baths, but right now he wants nothing more than to be enveloped in warmth and something clean. He sheds his clothes, stepping in. When he washes his hair, he’s careful not to get his ears wet. Then he just soaks in the tub unit his fingers start getting wrinkly and the water cold.

Then he towels off, brushing his hair. He pats his tail and ears dry, dressing. He’s tempted to put his hat back on, but he shoves it into his pocket instead. Will already knows, and Nico hasn’t seen any noticeable reaction regarding them. Making sure the hallway is empty, Nico knocks on the door across the hall.

Will appears, glasses on his face. “Oh, hey. How’re you feeling? Better?” Nico nods. Will invites him inside, asking him to sit on the couch. “Would you mind if I asked you some questions? Checked you over? I tried yesterday, but it was a little difficult with you passed out.”

Nico nods. He decides he’ll use this time to figure out stuff about Will. It’s clear he’s a human, not hiding anything supernatural. Unless he’s supernaturally able to detect what’s wrong with Nico just by lightly running his hands over his skin and looking into his eyes. Nico’s pretty sure it’s not.

“You seem to have a cold,” Will says after he takes Nico’s temperature. He still hasn’t mentioned the cat thing yet, and Nico’s wondering if maybe Will just doesn’t care. “Do you feel any pain or uncomfortableness? Other than the stuffy nose and the temperature.”

Nico shakes his head. His ears perk up when he hears a noise in the hallway, most likely a maid. He sees Will’s gaze rise a little before settling back somewhere around Nico’s face.

“So, um, I’m sick?” Nico asks. He sneezes then, and Will hands him a tissue.

“Yes. I need to talk to Apollo about this whole mess.” He sighs like this is something that happens a lot. “I’m really sorry about this. I promise we’ll have you home in no time.”

They fall into a slightly awkward silence. Will doesn’t seem to know where to look, and Nico just wants to go to sleep. But he’s been raised better than to just fall asleep in front of a kind of stranger. Will’s gaze is unflinching as he looks Nico over again, his eyes settling for a moment on Nico’s tail. It’s curled around his hip, and Nico’s trying his best to keep it still.

“You can ask, you know,” Nico says after a moment. “I don’t mind.” He wasn’t sure how to feel yet about Will watching him the way he did. It wasn’t creepy or prodding, and Nico couldn’t figure it out.

“I don’t even know what to ask,” Will says, his cheeks reddening. “Um, I mean, this is probably so rude. But I kind of want to touch them. You can slap me.”

Nico’s not sure why he smiles or even nods, but he does. Will seems surprised, too, reaching out slowly. Nico grabs his wrist, gently tapping his tail against Will’s fingers. Will smiles, glancing at Nico before reaching out and stroking the fur softly. Nico has to stop himself from purring. He hasn’t had anyone pet him before, and he has to admit that it’s kind of nice.

“It’s, um, soft,” Will says. Nico rolls his eyes. Will looks at Nico before reaching to touch his ears. He slides a careful finger down the side. He repeats the motion, pressing a little harder. He must press a good spot at the base of Nico’s ears because Nico feels himself purr. Will’s hand disappears, and Nico almost feels disappointed.

“Sorry,” Will stammers. “That was too much probably.”Nico shakes his head. “It’s okay,” he whispers. “It was kind of nice.”

Will beams. He looks like he’s about to say something when Nico yawns. “Sleep,” Will says, jumping up. “You need to get some sleep. I’ll be by with your lunch, okay?”

Nico nods as he’s ushered into his room. Again, he doesn’t bother pulling back the sheets. Instead, he just curls up on the pillows. Will smiles at him before closing the doors. Nico waits a few moments before dragging the blanket over to the window seat, curling up again. He falls asleep trying to count the flowers.  
-  
Will’s angry. He can’t believe his father just randomly kidnapped supernatural creatures for his own enjoyment. While Nico’s sleeping, Will pens an angry letter to his mother, asking her to send his father some strong words. He knows she alone can talk sense into him. Sometimes, his father was like a child left alone, only breaking the rules because he got lonely and wanted attention.

Nico’s been staying with them for over a week now (not counting the days he was locked away). Slowly, he seems to be getting better. So far, he’s mostly slept and ate. Though it seems that color is returning to his cheeks.

Will’s not sure what to think of Nico. He’s not sure who the man is, what kingdom he belongs to, who his family is. He’s got a bit of an accent but not one Will recognizes. His father doesn’t know, not having actually done any of the dirty work himself. And none of the guards seem to have paid enough attention.

“Would you like to go out into the gardens?” Will asks. Nico’s almost well enough to go home (wherever that is), and Will can’t help but feel disappointed.

“Sure,” Nico says. Will smiles. Every morning, he finds Nico curled up in that window seat, his tail casually hanging off the edge. Will wants to touch Nico’s ears again, but he’s not sure how to ask. Especially after last time. He’s too embarrassed for letting his wants get the best of him. He’s supposed to be learning how to control his impulses, speaking only what needs to be heard.

They walk through his mother’s gardens. While she’s away, she has the gardeners under strict orders of what they’re supposed to do. Right now, it seems that everyone is either weeding, watering, or trimming. Will’s mother will be home in a week, and if there’s anything wrong with this garden, she’ll do nothing else but.

Will notes that Nico has forgone his hat this time. Usually, when they’re somewhere besides either of their rooms, he wears his hat. Will doesn’t know why, and he doesn’t ask. But it’s nice to see Nico without the hat. (Though he’s perfectly adorable either way.)

“Does the king have any heirs?” Nico asks, glancing at Will. “The king seems a bit lonely just being here all day.”

Will laughs. Yes, his father found charming ways to amuse himself when everyone else was abroad. Though, right now, his father was drafting apologies.

“He has three sons,” Will says. He isn’t sure why he hasn’t yet told Nico of his position. Maybe it’s because he’s starting to like Nico, and he’s not sure his father would agree to the union. “Two of them are abroad currently.”

“Where’s the third one? Don’t tell me he ran away?” Will catches the joke a second too late.

“He’s at home,” Will says. Nico gives him a weird look.

“Is everyone in the family rather secluded? I don’t think I’ve seen the king other than when I had to entertain him.” Will winces at that. “Not that I’d want to see him too much more. But I am sleeping in his palace.”

“I suppose it must look strange from the outside,” Will says, careful not to give himself away. He’s really not sure what’s making him so cautious. He’s sure he could convince his father of courting Nico. And he’s not ashamed of who he is.

Nico nods. “My family probably seems rather odd from the outside as well.” Will wants to ask more, but Nico doesn’t seem to leave the floor open.

“You should be healthy enough to travel in two days,” Will says. “I can get you some paper so you can write your family. And we’ll pay for the transportation.”

Nico smiles. “Thank you. You’ve been very kind. I’m sure I’d still be passed out on that floor if it weren’t for you.” Will feels himself blush. If he’s being honest, he cared for Nico at the beginning because he was someone in need. But now, he’d do it just to see Nico smile.

“Can you turn into a cat?” Will blurts out. It’s been on his mind. He’s sure he saw a black cat when he first walked into the quarters.

Nico snorts. “Yes, Will. Has that been bothering you this whole time?” Will nods sheepishly. “It’s a unique talent of sorts that’s been passed down through my family. Only I got lucky enough to inherit it this go round. Neither of my sisters can.”

“I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you home.” Nico hums.

Later that night, they eat dinner together on Will’s balcony. He hasn’t eaten dinner with his father since coming back, and he’s eating with Nico alone for selfish reasons. All week, he’s been keeping Nico to himself, waiting on him hand and foot. Every day, it feels like maybe Nico will just suddenly announce that he doesn’t want to go back home, that he wants to stay with Will. But he never does.

And now Will has two more days.  
-  
The first thing Nico’s father says to him when he steps off the carriage is: “You shouldn’t have come home.”

“Gee, thanks,” Nico says. He’s used to his father’s bluntness, but after a week of being with Will, it’s a little jarring.

“I only meant that now we’ll have to send you back when you could have just stayed.” He pauses. “King Apollo has issued an apology, and he’s throwing a ball. As another piece of the apology, he’s invited you to meet one of his sons. He’s proposing an alliance between our kingdoms. It’d be rude to turn him down.”

“Even after he kidnapped me?” Nico asks. His ears twitch at the thought of going back. He wonders if Will would be there before remembering that doctors aren’t usually invited to these sorts of things. He makes a note to invite their doctor to these sorts of things. Maybe he’d like it.

“We can’t afford to start a war over something as childish as kidnapping people. So, attend the ball, let him think we’re happy, come home.”

“And what of the alliance?” Nico asks. He’s never been a fan of arranged marriages, and his parents have never discussed the matter with him. He’s always been under the impression that he could choose who he wanted to marry. “I’m not a pawn to be played when the players are being petty.”

His father takes a deep breath. “It was not my choice to have you kidnapped. It simply happened. Now, we must appease Apollo or he might kidnap you again.”

Nico knows he doesn’t have much say in the matter. Which is how he ends up in a carriage once again. This time, at least, he’s not knocked out and blindfolded. He doesn’t understand why Apollo can’t extend the invitation to his sisters as well. Surely he must realize how awkward it’d be to only invite those he’d kidnapped as guests. Nico wonders if he’s the only one attending. He wishes he could just turn this carriage around right now.

He stays the night at the hotel, unhelpfully dreaming of falling asleep in Will’s arms, curled up in that heavenly window sill. He imagines how nice Will’s touch would be against his ears. He wishes Will hadn’t stopped last time. Maybe Will got freaked out. He wouldn’t be the first.

The night of the ball, Nico puts minimal effort into dressing. He leaves off the find embellishments on his jacket, purposefully forgetting to polish his boots. He hesitates for a moment, trying to decide if he wants to wear the headband he’d had designed specifically for holding his ears down. He winces as he puts it on, deciding better to be safe than sorry. He’s not a fetish, and he’s not going to be treated that way.

Nico arrives fashionably late, though he’s less than fashionable. His clothes are all from a year or two ago, though they still fit as he hasn’t had a growth spurt in years. The guards welcome him, announcing his name at the door. Hardly anyone pays attention save for Apollo who comes hurrying up. Nico thinks he looks vaguely familiar, though he knows exactly who he is.

“Prince Nico” he croons, sweeping into a bow. “Thank you for attending. I hope that you have recovered from the unfortunate ordeal. I’m terribly sorry for putting you through that. An oversight on my part.” Nico just nods.

“Thank you for inviting me,” he says.

“Oh, you must meet my son! He’s marvelous, nothing at all like me. Except in the looks,” Apollo rambles. He’s got Nico’s wrist, dragging him through the party. Nico’s drafting an angry letter to his father right now. “Ah, here he is. Will!”

At the name, a blond-haired boy turns around, and Nico thinks it can’t possibly be a coincidence. Because it’s Will. His Will. Doctor Will.

“Take off those glasses, son,” Apollo says. “Come meet Prince Nico.” Apollo practically jams their hands together because they’re both staring at each other, dumbstruck. “Right, well, I’ll let you two talk.” He pats Nico’s shoulder before heading off.

“W-Will?” Nico stutters.

“Are you upset?” Will asks. “I promise I meant to tell you, but it never seemed important. And you didn’t seem to like my father. So maybe I did kind of purposefully not tell you so that you’d like me more. If you even liked me. I mean, I did do that weird thing where I touched your ears, though you were clearly uncomfortable and-“

Nico cuts him off. “Will, breathe.” Will lets out a nervous peal of laughter, startling one of the ladies around them. Nico rolls his eyes, grabbing Will’s wrist. “Let’s go somewhere more private.”

Will takes a deep breath, nodding. “I know where.”  
-  
Will leads them to a balcony overlooking the garden. He’s glad his mother’s not here for once because this was her favorite spot to escape to.

“Wow,” Nico breathes. For the ball, Apollo got special permission to hang lanterns over the garden and to illuminate the trellises that lined the sidewalks. “It’s amazing.”

Will smiles. “Yeah. My father has an eye for beautiful things.”

Nico raises an eyebrow at him. “Are you trying to be smooth or creepy?” he asks.

“Um, honest?” Will asks. He’s not exactly sure what Nico’s talking about.

“You do know he kidnapped me because I have cat ears, right?”

It hits Will all at once. “I, um, right. Can I say I was being smooth?” Will asks, backtracking. “I don’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I really like your ears. They’re so soft and cute. Like you, really. All of you. And that’s kind of why I didn’t tell you who I was. Because, apparently, you’re a prince, too?”

Nico laughs. “Yeah, I guess I left that part out. I didn’t really want to start a war. And I doubted my father would let me court a doctor.” Nico pauses “Do you guys even have a doctor?”

Will scratches the back of his neck. “My father kind of gave him a holiday. Without realizing that that meant I’d have to come home early. Which is definitely okay since I met you.”

Nico rolls his eyes, sighing. Ever so slightly, he leans into Will’s side, and Will feels his face erupt with heat. He’s pretty sure that if he were naked, his whole body would be blushing. He’s already taken off his jacket, and now he can feel Nico’s ears twitch through the thin material of his shirt. He seems agitated or nervous.

“Hey, I know my father is trying to push us together, but we don’t have to listen to him. He’s always coming up with crazy ideas,” Will says.

Nico looks at him. “I don’t mind. I mean, I’d rather we do it because we like each other. And now like you’re some apology gift.” Will lets out a nervous laugh. “But, I think you’re handsome. And you seem to like me?”

Will nods. “Yes, very much.”

Will’s not sure how they get there, but suddenly Nico’s eye level with Will, his lips pressing against Will’s. There are hands moving gently around his neck. For a moment, he just stands there. Then Nico shifts to pull away, and Will dives back in.

“Ow,” Nico whispers. “Your nose just banged into my cheek.” He giggles, rolling his eyes. “Eager much?”

They try again, Will a little less aggressively, twining his fingers through Nico’s soft hair. Will blames it on the height difference, but he finds his fingers at the base of Nico’s ears. Nico lets out a little pant when Will rubs them. So he does it again, massaging slow circles into Nico’s scalp.

He can feel the vibrations from Nico’s purring, and Nico almost falls into him, his eyes closed, his knees giving out. They sink onto the couch there, Will pulling Nico into his lap, Nico’s forehead pressed to his. After a few minutes, Nico sits up, his eyes still looking a little dazed.

“Gods, I can’t believe I’ve lived my entire life without that.”

“So it was good?” Will asks. He’d gotten a little carried away.

Nico quirks a smile. “It felt amazing. That and window seats, and I’ll stay here forever.” Will laughs. “And you, of course, Will. Want to try this out? And not just because your father owes me a giant apology?”

Will smiles. “Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this didn't feel too rushed.


	18. bloody amazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> vampire soulmates basically :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short but hopefully cute :)

Will’s pretty sure being a human would suck. He can’t imagine having to live life so quickly, so rushed and hurried. Will prefers to take the more leisurely route, where he has time to stop and smell the flowers and take vacations just because. Of course, now that he’s just turned 122, he’s starting to feel that pressure. He can see it in the silent desperation in his mother’s eyes as she throws him bigger and bigger birthday parties each year, makes sure he introduces himself to everyone he meets, drags him everywhere. He knows why she’s doing it, and it doesn’t cease to relieve that anxiety coiled in his chest.

If he doesn’t find his soulmate in the next three years, he’ll die.

Just drop dead in the middle of whatever he’s doing (probably eating, honestly, or crying). There won’t be any way to revive him, even if his soulmate walks in a second later. After all, vampires don’t raise people from the dead. And they ruled out dark magic about seventy years ago. The new law in place stated that 125 years was enough time to either live life to the fullest or die trying. (Paraphrased, of course.)

Will thought it was a bit harsh. After all, it was created by vampires who were well into their three and five hundreds. They’d already found their soulmates a while ago and didn’t have more to do with their lives except for boss everyone else around. (Not that Will would ever say that to their faces.) That’s just how politics worked.

All Will hoped for was that his soulmate was a vampire. It wasn’t that he had anything against humans, but their lifespans were pretty short. He’d heard of vampires whose soulmates were human, who lived in heartbreak for years before just disappearing. And he’d heard of rumors human soulmates who died before the vampire could find them. All in all, living your life based on someone else’s was kind of a sucky thing.

“Don’t forget about the meeting today,” Mama says. She hands Will a glass of juice, commenting quietly that he was looking a little pale. He drinks his juice, nodding. “It’s a shame there’s so much pressure these days,” she adds.

Will nods again. When his mom was a little girl, people just assumed that the average lifespan of most vampires was about 125 years. They never realized that soulmates existed until a study was done. Now, the average lifespan was close to six and eight hundred years old or older. (Vampires did technically die.)

“Are you going?” Will asks. Since his mom has already found her soulmate, she doesn’t technically have to attend. The meeting is only mandatory for singles and those who have specific positions. Will, as the head of his coven and a single vampire, definitely has to go.

“I think I’ll do some grocery shopping,” Mama says. Will nods.

“Mama, tell me again how you knew Dad was the one?” Mama smiles, sitting down on the couch. Will always asks to hear this story (because he’s a hopeless romantic), and Mama always indulges him (because she’s a hopeful romantic).

“Well, you know we met at the grocery store,” she starts. She details out what her list for the day was, how it was the most normal day of her life until he stepped in. “I couldn’t reach a box on the top shelf, and he was just so kind to help me.” Will feels jittery. He knows what comes next. “And the moment I looked at him, I could see my whole life, stretching out before me. The feeling was so overwhelming, but I couldn’t get enough of it. We must’ve looked so stupid standing there with a box of rice between us.”

Will laughs, smiling.

“Of course, at the time, I didn’t think too much of soulmates. They were fairytales from the humans, you know? Myths. But I said yes when he asked me out, and I’ve never regretted it. Even when he wears socks to bed.” Will laughs again. His mom is always complaining about how Dad wears socks to sleep because he claims his toes get too cold at night.

“Did you fall in love with him immediately?” Will asks. It’s something he’s always worried about. Soulmates could be platonic, but that seemed to be a rare occurrence.

“I think it felt like it,” Mama says. “But I think it happened over time. I started realizing how much I loved being with him, how happy he made me feel. He’s my best friend and my love, and I think that’s what it means to fall in love.”

She pats Will’s cheek, smiling. Will’s dreamt of meeting his soulmate so many times, always feeling that aching disappointment when he sees a potential soulmate link hands with another or kisses their cheek. He’s never thought about dating someone who wasn’t his soulmate, though he knows lots of vampires do that. He can’t imagine falling in love with someone he’s not meant to spend the rest of his life with. He can’t imagine depriving someone else of their soulmate just to keep his own loneliness at bay

“You’ll find him, sweetie,” Mama says, kissing his hair. “I know he’s out there. And he’ll be so happy when he sees you.”

Will hopes so.  
-  
Nico hated these kinds of meetings. If he were being honest, this would be the last place he wants to spend his final days. He’ll be 124 in a few months, and already he can feel the life slipping out of him. He’s deathly pale (even paler than a vampire should be), and he’s weakening by the day. It almost feels like what he’d imagine the flu to feel like, though vampires can’t get sick.

“We’re going to find your soulmate, Nico,” his father says. “And even if you don’t spend the rest of your life with them, at least you’ll live.” Nico nods. It’s something his father’s been telling him. He knows his father thinks the whole soulmate thing is stupid, but it is kind of life or death. And after losing Nico’s sister to this gamble, his father isn’t about to risk Nico.

“What do you think they’ll be like?” Nico asks.

His father smiles. “I think they’ll be the most handsome boy you’ve ever seen.”

Nico rolls his eyes. Lately (like in the last two years), his father has grown to be ultra-supportive of Nico’s affection for boys. He almost misses the time his father would just sigh with disappointment. It’s funny how death can change someone’s perspective so quickly, though Nico doesn’t doubt that the support is genuine.

“Gross,” Nico mumbles. His father does sigh now.

“At least try to look somewhat presentable, please. I don’t want him to think I’m handing you over like a sacrifice.”

Nico snorts. “I thought we banned human sacrifices, like, three hundred years ago.”

“We did. Which is why I won’t have you looking like one now.” Nico obliges, standing up slowly. He pulls on his button-down shirt and slacks, grumbling about how formal this is. He guesses he shouldn’t complain since his father originally wanted him to wear a tux. Still, whoever had the idea that vampires wore fancy clothes was very wrong. Nico preferred sweatpants.

It wasn’t so much a meeting as it was a party. But Nico wasn’t allowed to enjoy the festivities until he had shaken each of the guests' hands and welcomed them. At least he’s given a chair and brought refreshments every half hour. About an hour into this, he remembers why he always refused to attend things like this.

“I’m pretty sure if you’d attended these things earlier,” his father had started saying, “then you would have met him already.” And then his father would apologize for the next twenty minutes about how he should have forced Nico to attend. After all, what kind of prince was Nico if he didn’t even attend the coven meetings? A pretty bad one. And now he was getting steadily closer to being a dead one.

It’s a little unnerving how desperate some of these guests look. Nico hopes that they find their soulmate here, especially since there are so many single vampires. Or at least that they find some sort of peace being around so many people in the same boat as them. For him, though, every person he shakes hands with feels like the ticking of a clock.

After the six-hundredth person, Nico is starting to feel tired, and he has to pee. (He’s not even sure how many glasses of juice and water he’s had in the last three hours.) He starts to stand up to make an announcement that he’ll be right back when he feels himself start to pitch forward.

“Oh, hey, easy there,” comes a soft voice, and Nico somehow feels even dizzier. He feels warm hands on him, guiding him to sit. He does, rather ungracefully. When his vision clears, he’s staring at the most colorful vampire he’s ever seen. (Not that all vampires only wear black and red, but most have the common sense to not dress in a way that would attract attention.)

“Oh,” Nico says. The guy has blue eyes, and a small spattering of freckles across his cheeks which instantly intrigues Nico. But there’s something more than that. There’s something like familiarity in the way he looks at Nico, like he knows that Nico falls asleep to music or that he still cries about his dead mother.

“Nico!” Nico blinks out of whatever trance he was just in, turning to his father. “Are you okay? They said you fainted.”

“Just dizzy, sir,” the freckled vampire says. And then Nico’s father is a bit closer than Nico’s ever wanted him to be.

“You okay?” Nico nods. He thinks he’s okay. He still really has to pee, so he says that. Nico’s father looks a bit surprised. The freckled vampire seems like he’s stifling a laugh. His cheeks turn pink. Nico realizes that he hasn’t stopped looking at him.

“I’m Nico,” Nico says. He holds out his hand, and the freckled vampire takes it.

“Will, sir.” Nico huffs.

“Just Nico.” He starts to stand up, and Will grips his hand tighter, helping him. It seems unnecessary as Nico’s pretty sure he’s just gotten his second (or maybe thirtieth) wind. He rushes off to the bathroom, splashing water on his face to try and get his cheeks to cool down.

When he returns to the party/meeting, he’s surprised to find the line gone. He wonders if his father is giving him a break before he realizes that Will’s standing in the doorway. What’s also surprising is the rapid blush that spreads across Will’s cheeks, obscuring his freckles. He’s smiling, and Nico feels like he’s known Will for a hundred years.

And all of a sudden, it hits him. Will’s his soulmate.  
-  
Will’s pleasantly surprised that falling in love is exactly how his mom described and so much more. It’s both slow and steady and all at once. Will feels like he’ll never get enough of Nico at the same time just being with Nico is so overwhelming. It’s awkward and tense and silly and Will’s not sure he’d ever have it any other way.

After meeting at the party, they’d ended up sneaking away to the courtyard on the other side to just sit and attempt to collect their thoughts. Nico had seemed suspicious that Will had felt the same thing upon seeing Nico, though neither of them can find the right words to describe the feeling. Even his mom’s description didn’t do it justice. In Nico, he saw more than a lifetime.

Currently, they were sitting on the couch. Nico’s come a long way since being pale and dizzy, and Will wonders if that’s because of him. He’d heard of vampires becoming sick close to their 125th birthday, but he’d never seen it. Most times, those vampires either desperately tried to hide it or they’d go off to die alone. Both options sounded heartbreaking to Will.

“You know, we could have met years ago,” Will says, bumping Nico’s leg with his.

Nico huffs. “Yeah, I know. I’ve already been given the lecture.” Since Will was the head of the coven and Nico was the prince, they could have met in their early 100s. Since Nico was stubborn and refused to participate in group activities, they’d met now. Not that Will regrets any of it. “Though I am sorry I made you wait so long.”

Will shrugs. “I’m sorry about your sister.” He’s not sure what makes him say it, and Nico seems equally surprised. His gaze jerks over to Will’s, and he nods.

“Different times,” Nico sighs. The death is still recent enough that Will feels a bit guilty about bringing it up. Nico’s sister had only been six years older than Nico. “I always wonder what happened to her soulmate. If they felt it when she died. Or if they were already dead.”

On instinct, Will settles his arm around Nico’s shoulder, pulling him closer. Will can hear his mom baking in the kitchen, but she’s promised him some privacy. Will’s a bit surprised when Nico curls closer, resting his head on Will’s shoulder. He wonders if this is how soulmates work, some things feeling like an old habit. While conversation didn’t always flow, physical touch was something that seemed to.

(Will seemed to know when Nico wanted to be held, that he wasn’t ready to kiss yet, that he liked it when Will messed with his hair. And Nico seemed to understand that Will loved holding hands, loved it when Nico traced his freckles, was okay with waiting to be kissed.)

“Do humans have soulmates?” Nico asks. He wrinkles his nose at the thought. “I can’t imagine.”

Will can’t either. “I think they do. Though, I don’t know if they also die at a certain age.”

Nico snorts. “I’m guessing not. There are too many of them.”

Will laughs. “Or maybe we’ve just passed laws that keep us from hunting them down. Like they sometimes hunt us down.”

“Fair enough,” Nico concedes. “Maybe that’s why they only live so long. A flawed moral character.” Will rolls his eyes. Nico seemed cynical enough, but Will was learning that he just wanted the best for everyone. Even if he sometimes had a hard time showing it.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Will asks. They’d been soulmates for a week, dating for about four days. Will wasn’t sure how this whole thing worked. He’d seen it in movies, watched humans do it, watched other vampires. But it all felt so different from this. With this, he could feel every emotion so crisply and fully. He didn’t have to guess or even wonder; he just knew.

They settle into each other as the movie starts. Will’s mom brings in a bowl of popcorn and cookies. Will catches Nico practically drooling over the cookies, and he laughs. Then he blushes as his mom sends him a soft smile. He never thought he could be this happy. Because he’s always had a pretty happy life. But this is something different.

“What just happened?” Nico whispers, drawing Will’s attention back to the movie. “Is that her twin? Or maybe she’s dead?”

Will laughs. “I have no idea,” he says. Nico huffs, grabbing the remote and rewinding the movie. They have to rewind it three more times before giving up and putting in a different movie. This one is pretty straightforward, and Will finds his attention drifting from the TV to Nico. He plays with Nico’s hair, wrapping the short waves around his finger. Nico hums softly at this. Will makes small braids that cause his hair to stick up a little.“You’re amazing,” Will breathes. Nico turns away from the TV, looking at Will. His hands go to his hair, and he pouts when he feels the braids.

“You’d better know how to untangle them, sunshine,” Nico says. Then he settles down, eyes back on the movie. Will just smiles, gently undoing the braids. He thinks it’s slightly unfair that Nico can look that adorable with his hair sticking up.

When the movie is over, Nico drags Will into the kitchen. He says it’s because he wants to get to know Will’s mom, but Will’s pretty sure it’s because he wants more cookies. Mama tells embarrassing stories and makes Nico laugh so loud that Will doesn’t even try to deny them. He just rolls his eyes and refills Nico’s glass of milk.

After Nico’s gone home, Will’s mom hugs him. “I’m really happy for you,” she whispers. “And your dad wants you to know that he snuck some protection under your bed.”

Will’s race erupts with his blush. “Mama!” She pulls away, laughing.

“You know he wanted to be here today, but I sent him to the grocery store.” Will nods. He loves his dad, but his dad is like the poster child for the supportive parent. Will’s trying his best to ease both Nico and him into this, and meeting Will’s dad would be like diving into the deep end.

“Thank you.”

She smiles. “He’s going to meet Nico eventually. Best to be around when it happens.” Will agrees. Honestly, he’s too happy right now to be upset that his father might be sneaking condoms into his room and unsubtly giving them space.

“I’ll invite Nico over for family dinner, okay?”

Mama smiles. “He’ll be so happy.” Will doesn’t doubt it.  
-  
They’re a month into their relationship, and Nico never thought it’d be like this. He thought that it’d be okay if he never found his soulmate. He’d die without knowing any better, but now that he’s tasted and seen, he can’t imagine going back.

His father’s thrown a grand party, probably scaring the butcher with how much blood he’s ordered. But, of course, they can’t have a proper party without the favorite drink. It’s become a bit of a delicacy, blood, due to regulations on what and where they can get their blood from. (Environmental concerns, someone explained to Nico.) But Nico’s father has called in a special request, and Nico can already taste it.

He and Will have already done the family meets family awkwardness, and he was happy that it went well. Will’s dad is a bit over the top, but he seems to mean well. Will’s mom keeps baking him cookies, and he’ll run a stake through his heart before he gives them up. And Will is just as wonderful as ever.

“Ready, darling?” Will asks. He’s dressed up today, wearing a pastel yellow button-down that Nico’s pretty sure would look horrendous on anyone else, but it looks nice on him. He takes Will’s hand, kissing it softly before walking into the dance room.

It’s a small splash of color, ladies with flowing skirts and guys in black and white. Nico and Will stay along the wall. They’re still a bit shy about their relationship, still getting used to being in public. Will’s cheeks are pink as he sets a hand on Nico’s waist. Nico twines their fingers together. When they do step off, he’s not sure who is leading whom. Technically, Will’s leading, but Nico’s the better dancer.

They dance until the band takes a break, heading over to where the refreshments are set out. Nico grabs two glasses of blood-red wine for them while Will piles up a plate. Nico almost laughs at how well-coordinated it all is. They make their way out to the balcony where a few other couples are sharing their break.

Will takes a sip of wine first, his lips stained a light red. They haven’t kissed yet, and this is the first time Nico actually feels ready for that step. He licks his lips, shoving a cube of cheese into his mouth. Will seems to watch him. They take turns picking food off the plate, listening to the conversations around them rather than making their own.

“Do you want to dance more?” Will asks. His lips are a rose-red now, perfectly plump. Nico nods, just so he can stop dreaming of kissing Will right now. He doesn’t want to be so public about it.

Will leads him to the dance floor again, and they sway in time to the music. Nico rests his head on Will’s shoulder, catching the scent of sunshine and sweat. Will’s hands fall loosely to press against Nico’s lower back. They pull away to clap for the musicians, and Nico feels like he needs to kiss Will now or he’ll just kind of explode.

He grabs Will’s arm, pulling him around the back of the room and outside. They’re in the gardens that surround the building now.

“Nico?” Will asks. He’s not quite frowning, still caught up in the atmosphere of the night. His lips are pouting, like he’s upset that Nico dragged them outside, away from the festivities.

Nico doesn’t let him wonder for long. He pulls Will in for a kiss, their fangs clicking together as Nico parts his lips to swipe his tongue across Will’s mouth. Will gasps into him, his hands trailing up to tangle in Nico’s hair. It’s hotter and sloppier than Nico had imagined, but he likes it.

After a bit, the kissing calms down, and Will rests his forehead against Nico’s. He’s breathing with his mouth open, his lips definitely puffy, his fangs glinting in the darkness. Nico can count almost every freckle on Will’s cheeks. He can feel Will’s breath puff against his face. He’s sure Will can feel the same thing.

“That was good, yeah?” Will asks. Nico has to pull back, laughing a little.

“Bloody amazing,” he whispers when he’s recovered himself. If every kiss with Will is something like that, Nico could be content for a lifetime. “You’re bloody amazing. The most handsome vampire on earth.”

Will laughs at this, smiling. He can’t quite get his lips to move over his fangs, he’s smiling so much, so they stick out. He looks goofy like this, and Nico can’t help but laugh again. And then they’re laughing together, absolutely drunk on themselves and their love.

Because this is love, right? Nico thinks so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is doing okay - especially with everything going on right now :) blessings to all of you!


	19. pick me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico disagrees with arranged marriage. Maybe Will can change his mind.

“You what?” Nico rages. Compared to his sister’s he’s livid. Bianca and Hazel merely sit there, hands folded in their laps like proper ladies. Bianca casts him a look that tells him he needs to calm down, but he’s struggling. “Father, we already own half of the industry. Couldn’t you simply buy the rest?”

Hades sighs, a small motion amongst his overall calm features. “I do not wish to put all of my eggs in one basket,” he says smoothly. “That and I wish that your sisters be taken care of when I am no longer.”

“I’ll be here,” Nico says. He’s aware of the gender distinctions, knowing that he has more freedoms in marriage and lifestyle than his sisters do, but that doesn’t make it much better. “I’ll provide and care for them.”

“But wouldn’t it be best if they had someone of their own to love? You’ll be off running the business or with your own family. This way, they’ll still be family and less of a liability. And the family name can grow.”

Nico sighs. His father always thought in terms of business, of growth and expansion. Giving a little to get a lot. “Fine. Who did you make this deal with?” His father had probably already told him, but he was too angry to listen to the details.

“The Earl,” Hades says. “I’ve allowed his son the choice of whichever child he wants. I do have some emotion left.” Nico huffs. In the back of his mind, he knows his father cares for all of them, but it’s hard to look around the business deals and the frequent trips to acquire yet more wealth.

“Is he the one who comes into town every other week?” Bianca asks, finally speaking up.

“Yes. He’ll be visiting this weekend, and I’ve arranged for him to join us for a light lunch. You’ll all be on your best behavior,” Hades adds, looking at Nico. “I’m doing what I feel is best for the family.”

“Of course, Father,” Hazel and Bianca chorus. The dip their heads slightly as Hades leaves the room, glancing one last time at Nico.

“You can’t possibly agree with this,” Nico fumes, turning to his sisters. It’s silent for a moment while Nico paces around the room. He’s never wished he were a girl, but he almost wishes he were one now so he could take this burden from them. No earl’s son in their right mind would ever turn down his father’s invitation. Especially when his daughters were so accomplished and wealthy.

“It’s not ideal,” Bianca says. “But I’m willing to take his hand if it means a stable life and a prospering of our families. I’ve never wanted a husband, but I know Hazel’s been talking to someone.”

At this, Hazel blushes, fiddling with the invisible wrinkles in her dress. “Frank and I are merely talking. There is no mention of courting or even of reciprocated feelings,” she says.

“But there are feelings,” Bianca says, grinning. Nico smiles, too. He’s always wanted his sister to find love on her own time. Until today, he’d thought she’d have time.“I’m sure Frank would understand if the Earl’s son chose me. And we’re just friends right now.” Nico doubts that. The blush on her cheeks tells that there are many feelings involved, and Nico thinks Frank would have to be a fool not to reciprocate them. Not to mention, Hades would never let Frank hang around so much if he didn’t approve of the suitable match.

“For now,” Nico says. Hazel blushes deeper, messing with her hair now.“Stop, guys,” she laughs. “It doesn’t matter anyway. We can’t force the Earl’s son to like which one we want him to. The heart doesn’t work like that.”

“Would you be happy?” Nico asks Bianca. “If you married the Earl’s son?”

“I’m sure he’d treat me very well,” Bianca says. “I’ll never want for anything, and I’ll have some power still. I hear the Earl is very progressive, actually listening to his wife when it comes to important decisions. I’m sure he’s impressed the same mindset on his son.”

Nico nods. He still doesn’t like it, but he does feel a bit better that this guy has a good reputation. Bianca was strong-willed, and sometimes she found it hard to hold her tongue. Nico’s surprised that she managed to not lash out at their father. Though, maybe she always knew something like this would happen. She was always admonishing Nico for only thinking from a man’s perspective.

“Besides, should we think of the Earl’s son?” Hazel asks. “He might feel just as pressured as us if it’s our fathers who have made the deal.”

Nico hadn’t thought about that. “But he’s still getting the choice. We’re simply the options. So the power dynamic is still in his favor.”

“Not if we win him over. I hear men’s hearts are rather vulnerable. Despite what they want us to think,” Bianca says, grinning. She winks at Nico, and Nico huffs. “You know Father’s been wanting you to find a partner. I rather think he’s in a bit of a hurry to marry us all off. And if the Earl’s son chooses me, we shall all be set.”

Hazel smiles at this. “We could have a triple wedding!”

Bianca grumbles at this. “Oh, no. If I’m to get married, I want my own wedding.” She pauses, patting Nico’s hand. “And, who knows, he may choose you.”

Nico starts. His family knew of his affection for men and his lack of it for women, but it was hardly ever acknowledged. He had a sneaking suspicion his father was still hoping he’d marry a woman, though he never worked against Nico’s wishes to court men.

“I highly doubt that, Bianca.”  
-  
Will’s nervous. In all honesty, he hasn’t really given much thought to finding a partner. His father says that’s because he’s too busy sticking his nose into books and losing himself in other worlds. Will doesn’t tell him that while he does read quite a lot of fiction, his new passion is medicine and healing. He’s more than content to sneak off to a sunny corner of their grounds and read for hours.

“I hear he has three lovely children,” his father is saying now. “Two daughters and a son. Good options.”

Will nods. He knows of his father’s position and power, but it’s never directly affected him. He was raised humbly, playing in town and going to the local school. Only after he graduated did his father hire a tutor to come in once a week and continue Will’s education. It was either that or send him abroad, and Will doubts his father was ready for that. (That and he wanted him to start thinking of settling down.)

“I’ll be on my best manners,” Will says. His father nods. Apollo was always a bit eccentric, though Will doesn’t think he’s inherited any of those traits. He could become passionate about something, but he didn’t get obsessed. He believed in moderation, and he was strict about it. Save for when it came to reading, sometimes.

“Mr. di Angelo is very well known in the community. I’m sure his family is lovely. And it’ll be a prosperous union, I believe.”

Will rolls his eyes when his father’s turned to the window. His father believed all unions founded in love were prosperous, and Will agreed. After all, what was the point of marriage if not love? Money and status could be acquired through other means.

When they arrive at the di Angelo home, a young man greets them. “Lunch is almost ready,” he says. Will finds himself staring too long at the man’s fine features, the confident way he carries himself. He reprimands himself for ogling the staff. He’s here to fall in love, not find a lover.

Will’s seated across from who he assumes are the two daughters. Hades di Angelo sits at the head of the table, across from Will’s father. There’s an empty seat beside Will that’s soon filled.

“Let me introduce my family,” Hades says. “My oldest daughter, Bianca. My youngest daughter, Hazel. And this is Nico.” Will’s attention is immediately focused on the man that’s just entered. He’s the man Will assumed to be part of the staff, and Will’s stomach does a happy flip to know that Nico’s eligible.

“And this is my son, William,” Apollo says.

“Just Will,” Will corrects. He hates being formal. If he had it his way, he’d introduce himself.

“So, just Will,” Nico says. “Why don’t you bless our food.”

Will catches Hades shoot his son a look before they all bow their heads. Will blesses the food and them, not really able to keep himself from smiling when he thinks of Nico sitting right next to him. When he looks up again, Nico’s busying himself with passing the food around the table. The sisters are talking to each other, and Nico looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here.

The talk moves from pleasantries to hobbies. Will’s father keeps shooting him glances, wanting him to jump into the conversation at specific parts. Will feels awkward talking about his accomplishments, feeling almost like he’s trying to sell himself instead of just having a nice lunch with his potential in-laws.

After lunch, they’re allowed to take tea in the gardens. It’s a sunny day, and the girls are fanning themselves. Nico unbuttons his vest, rolling up his sleeves. He looks disinterested in what’s happening, sitting almost like he could jump up any minute. Will’s heartbeat quickens. He looks away. He glances around the table. Bianca’s smiling at him, and Will suddenly feels awkward.

“Sorry about our brother,” Bianca says, shooting Nico a look. “He’s usually better around company.”

Will smiles. “It’s alright. We all have our off days. To be completely honest, I was kind of dreading coming today. I’ve never liked the idea of arranged marriages.”

“I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for,” Bianca says.

“And what are you looking for?” Will asks. She seems surprised by his question. Will wonders how often she gets to exercise her own opinion.

“Nothing,” Bianca says. “I’m perfectly content where I am. If I had to want for something, I’d want for the ability to have my own job. Preferably something like journalism.”

Will smiles. “Perfectly respectable.” He feels a little tense still, not sure how far he should prod. But he wants to make sure that he isn’t trapping anyone in marriage simply because he’s being forced to choose someone. “How about you, Miss Hazel?”

“Drop the miss, please,” Hazel says. She glances at her sister, blushing a bit. “I, um, already have a boyfriend,” she says. “Sort of. I’d want a home and a family with him, I think. If that’s at all possible.”

“Is this man respectable?” Will asks. “If he’s not, I shall see to it that he shapes up.”

Hazel laughs. “He’s honorable and noble. And if he wasn’t, I’m sure Nico would get there first.” She nudges Nico’s foot with her own. Will turns to Nico to ask him, but Nico beats him to it.

“Don’t ask me. Marriage is a creation of society to further status and wealth. Hardly in love in it at all.” He downs his tea in one go, grabbing another biscuit. Almost aggressively, he slathers it with jam and takes a bite.

“You don’t believe that at all,” Bianca snaps. “Just yesterday you were spouting that it was all rubbish.” She points a finger at him, turning to Will. “Don’t believe a word he’s just said. He’s just bitter right now thinking that he’ll never find the right man.”

Will could almost swear that Hazel winks at him just then.

“Look, I’m hardly in the running, so I don’t see why I should even be here.” In one motion, Nico stands, grabbing his biscuit. He shoves the rest of it into his mouth and storms off. Bianca just sighs.

“I didn’t mean to upset him,” Will says. “Shall I go apologize?”

Hazel shakes her head. “He’ll cool off in a little bit. Nico’s just upset about the whole arrangement. He claims that it makes him feel like a piece of meat.” Will nods. He can see that. But he wouldn’t dare to dehumanize someone like that. “I’ll go talk to him.” She wipes her mouth, following Nico into the house.

“Well,” Bianca says. Will’s not sure what to do now. Should he excuse himself? Should he offer to walk Bianca in? She seemed perfectly capable of doing so herself, unlike so many women Will’s come into contact with. “You fancy him, don’t you?”

“What?” Will asks, startled.

“Nico,” Bianca clarifies. Will wants to splutter, but he can’t deny that he’s at least physically attracted to Nico di Angelo. There’s something about the cut of his jaw, the soft waves of his hair, the way his elbows looked when he rolled his sleeves up. “Spare me the daydreaming,” Bianca says, cutting into his daydreaming.

“He clearly disagrees with this,” Will says.

Bianca shrugs. “He disagrees with arranged marriage. Not marriage itself. He’d die of embarrassment if he knew I told you this. But he’s always dreamed of falling in love.” She pauses. “We’d originally agreed that if you had to pick, you’d pick me. But this is an interesting turn of events.”

Will has no idea what that means, other than maybe they weren’t accounting for his bisexuality. “So, you think I should court him?”  
Bianca grins. “We’ll give you a chance.”  
-  
“Why is it always me?” Nico complains. Bianca’s just smirking at him. He feels like Hazel would be on his side, but Hazel’s with Frank right now. And when Hazel’s with Frank, she’s not really in the mood to fight Nico’s battles. “Why can’t you go, too?” He knows he sounds whiny and childish, but he’s tired of watching Bianca beg out of hanging out with Will. Because it ends up being just him.

And that could lead to a lot of trouble. Like how Nico’s heart stutters whenever Will’s leg brushes his. Or catching sight of Will’s collarbones (and the spray of freckles that adorn them) whenever Will gets too hot outside. Or imagining what it’d feel like to run his fingers through Will’s unruly curls. Will had rolled up his shirtsleeves the last time they had tea, and Nico thought he was going to commit social suicide.

“The fact that you just zoned out on me is exactly why you’re going and I’m not,” Bianca says, drawing Nico back into the conversation he forgot he’d even started in the first place. “You’re clearly head over heels for him. Even if it’s more lust than love. And I’d never deprive you of that.” Her smirk deepens.

“So what if I find him attractive? He’s probably just doing it because you and Hazel practically begged off. It’s not his fault that he thinks he likes me simply because he doesn’t have any other options,” Nico huffs.

Bianca’s smirk fades. “This must be why pairs are so traditionally man and woman. Because men are too oblivious. Takes a woman to bring them to their senses.” She pauses. “But it is rather fun just watching you two fumble.”

Nico raises his eyebrows. “Fumble? We haven’t once touched. Let alone fumbling for each other.” He’s not sure where his sister gets these ideas. He’s starting to see why Father wants to marry her off. She’s giving him grey hairs.

“Have fun on your little date,” Bianca says. “Be sure to remember all the details. I’ve always wanted to go on a romantic boat ride.”

Nico doesn’t mention that she could have, had she not begged to get out of it just half an hour ago. Of course, it might not have been so romantic to have your little brother tag along. Not that Nico wants to go. Not that he wants to see Will Solace, the Earl’s son, in a boat.

Nico thinks his eyes might match the water.

He’s a little surprised when he spots Will. Until today, he’d only seen Will in formal clothes. Now, Will was in a loose white blouse and trousers. He was standing with one hand on his hip, the other shading his eyes from the sun. Nico immediately leaves his vest in the carriage, trying to appear more casual. Only his father would think to dress up for a boat ride.

“Nico!” Will calls. “Nice day, isn’t it?”

“Sure is,” Nico says, unimpressed. The day wasn’t all that great. It was a typical day, honestly. Some sun, some clouds, some water. (Nico hates himself for confirming. Will’s eyes are bluer than the water.)

“Shall we get going? I’ve got a boat. I hope you don’t mind some manual labor.” Nico shrugs. He’s not sure what Will’s talking about. He’s never been on a boat before, never really wanted to. Darn Will making Nico do things he’s never wanted to do. Like, kiss him right now in front of the entire town.

The boat turns out to be a small thing, kind of like a canoe. Will takes the oars, settling into the boat. He helps Nico in, though Nico almost pitches forward. Will lets out a small laugh at this as he helps steady Nico. Nico sits down, not wanting to make a fool of himself.

“Your father tells me you’ve never been on a boat before.” Nico nods. He’s getting a little caught up in the way Will’s muscles ripple underneath his shirt. Will moves the oars with strong, smooth strokes, and Nico’s a little mesmerized. They move farther out into the water, avoiding the traffic of the fishermen.

“Where are we going?” Nico asks.

Will shrugs. “Around. The lake is enclosed, so we won’t be leaving the country.” He’s smiling, his dimples out in full display. They don’t talk for a while until Will locks the oars into place and just lets them float.

“It’s, um, a nice day,” Nico says. He’s mentally slapping himself. Will just grins.

“Yup.” He’s not sure how to feel about the way Will’s watching him. It’s not creepy, far from it. It’s warm and almost affectionate, Nico thinks. Not that he thinks Will likes him. Maybe Will’s just never had a boat buddy before. His dad was probably too busy to take leisurely boat rides.

“I don’t know what to say,” Nico says after another awkward silence.

Will grins. “You don’t have to say anything. We can just take in the view.”

Nico tries. He really does. He tries to look at how nice the water is, the trees, the fishermen fishing. He tries to see what they’re doing, how they pull in the nets, cast them back out again. Somehow, though, his focus keeps going back to Will. He finds he really likes that little dip of Will’s collarbone. (He kind of wants to kiss it.)

Nico’s not sure how much time passes in silence. He’s pretty sure he’s been caught staring a least once, but Will didn’t say anything about it. Nico wonders if Will is used to it. He’s certainly handsome enough, and that makes Nico feel a bit jealous. He tamps that down quickly, telling himself that Will’s not his.

“Do you want to try rowing?” Will asks softly, breaking the silence. Nico shrugs. He’d really rather not, but he’s afraid he’ll embarrass himself more by talking. “Okay, so hold the oars like this.” Will demonstrates before handing them to Nico. “And then move them like this.”

Nico almost laughs. Without the oars in his hands, Will looks kind of silly just circling his arms in the air. It’s harder than it looks, and Nico really wants to know how strong Will is now. He manages to move them in a slow circle, only moving one of his arms.

“That’s good, but try them at the same time,” Will says after they’ve gone in a few circles. After a few minutes of struggling, Will reaches forward to hold Nico’s hands. “Is this okay?” Nico nods. Will gently guides his arms in a smooth motion, and Nico’s too caught up in Will being so close that he has no idea where they’re going.

Nico resists whining when Will pulls back. Nico’s arms are aching a bit, and he knows they’ll be sore tomorrow. But it’s worth it. That close, Nico could almost kiss Will’s freckles. And he somehow smelled like the sun. And sunscreen. Nico never thought that smell could be addicting.

“You’re beautiful,” Will says, looking right at Nico. Nico just blinks.

“Um, thanks?” he says.

Will smiles. “Would it be okay if I kissed you?”

Nico’s mind comes to a halt. “No,” he says a little frantically. Will pulls back, confusion across his face. “I mean, it wouldn’t be proper, you know? Because you like my sister. It’s just the mood of the lake, you know? Like how they say that stars are romantic? Well, lakes can be that way, too.”

“Nico, I don’t like your sister the way I like you,” Will says. “Your sisters are funny and kind and amazing, and you are, too. But I’m also crazy about you. I’ve never once felt for you sisters what I feel for you, Nico.”

Nico can’t quite believe he’s hearing this. It’s everything he’s ever wanted to hear and more. “But this is an arranged marriage. You’re just saying all of this because our dads want us to get married. You’re tricking yourself, Will.” He expects Will to be offended, but he’s still smiling.

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to prove to you that what I feel is real.” He winks at Nico, and Nico knows he’s in trouble.  
-  
“I’m so happy to hear that you and Will are getting along. He’ll be a wonderful son-in-law,” Hades says a few minutes into breakfast. Nico almost chokes on his glass of milk.

“What?”

Hades sighs. “Will asked for my blessing to court you yesterday. I was kind of hurt that you didn’t tell me first.”

“And I’m kind of upset that I’m hearing about it last,” Nico says. He sees his father sigh again. It was amazing that Hades didn’t look older.

“Will wanted to keep it a surprise, Father,” Bianca says. “And you know how Nico is.” He feels her kick his shin. He supposes that this is his answer as to what that wink meant. As nothing had happened for the last two days, he’d kind of forgotten about it, thinking that maybe Will had also. Apparently not.

“Oh, did I ruin the surprise?” Hades asks. Bianca shakes her head.

“Nope. Nico still has no idea what’s coming.” She sends a wink his way, and Nico glances at Hazel for help.

“We could have a double wedding,” she teases. “Frank got the blessing three days ago.”

“And why am I just now hearing about this?”

Hazel giggles. “Because you’ve been too busy thinking about Will.” Nico feels his face flush, but he refuses to give into the embarrassment. He finishes his breakfast quickly, hurrying to his room where he finds a bouquet of flowers waiting for him.

“Who are these from?” Nico asks one of the maids. She smiles.

“William Solace. There’s a card.” Nico grabs it, groaning as he reads it.

I picked these just for you. Someone mentioned you liked romantic gestures, it reads.

He almost expects Will to be standing outside his window, and he checks to be sure. At least his yard is Will-free. His mind surely isn’t. The maid has already put them in a vase, and Nico thanks her. They are lovely flowers, and they smell really nice. He hears himself sigh and gets up. He has to think of something else. Will Solace is only doing this because he has to.

Throughout the day, little surprises keep catching him off-guard. He got a box of chocolates at lunchtime (his favorites), a book at tea, a cheesy handwritten note at dinner. As he’s getting ready for bed, he finds a plushy fish with another brief note on his pillow.

He smiles thinking about their day on the lake, how Will had told jokes the whole time they rowed back to shore. The note attached to the plushy reads: You’re o-fish-ally awesome! There’s even a badly drawn fish underneath the words.

Nico almost doesn’t hate that he dreams of swimming.

It’s not for another week of gifts and surprises that Nico finally sees Will again. He’s been woken up by a knock on his door, way too early in the morning for someone to actually think he’d be up. He composes himself a bit, grumbling as he yells at whoever to state their business.

“I’ve brought breakfast!” chirps a cheerful voice. It’s familiar, and Nico feels his heartbeat quicken. Because could it be Will? After all of these gifts?

Even though he’s pretty sure it couldn’t be anyone besides Will, he’s still so surprised when it’s actually him. He’s dressed casually again, his sleeves rolled up to expose his elbows, his collar unbuttoned to reveal his collarbone. Nico feels his cheeks heat up.

“I know it’s early, but I was hoping to catch you while you were still in bed.”

Nico huffs. “I’m in bed until I’m needed elsewhere.”

Will smiles at this, and Nico finds that he can’t be annoyed for long. “I hope you’ll accept these pancakes as an apology and a good morning from me. Have you been receiving my gifts?”

Nico smiles. “Yes. Was there a reason you’ve been showering me so?”

Will blushes, sitting down next to Nico. He’s pulled off his shoes, and his sock feet look cuter than they have to right to. He scoots right up next to Nico, setting the tray between them. “Because I’m courting you,” Will says. “Did you parents never tell you?” He fixes a semi-serious look on Nico. “When two people love each other very much-“

Nico cuts him off. “Love?” he chokes out. He and Will have only been seeing each other for maybe a month at most. Will must be tricking himself to think that he loves Nico so quickly.

“Well, maybe not love. But hopefully,” Will says. HIs face is so red that his freckles have almost disappeared. He pulls off a bit of pancake. “Blueberries. Try some.”

Nico rolls his eyes, taking a bite of the blueberry pancakes. They are good, especially with the compote. The next few minutes are mostly silence as Nico explores the breakfast that Will’s brought him. The pancakes are still hot, the powdered sugar melting instantly. The fruit is fresh and amazing.

“You brought me my favorite breakfast,” Nico says softly. Will hums around a bite of melon. “Thanks.”

“So, um, do you believe me now?” Will asks. “That I like you. That I really, really like you. Nico, you make me crazy. Since that first day, I’ve been head over heels.”

“Not just because of the arranged marriage?”

Will shakes his head. “Bianca told me that you three had chosen her for me,” Will says softly. “But if you’ll allow, I’d like to choose you, Nico. I’ve gotten your sisters’ and your father’s blessing, but I haven’ gotten yours. Will you do me the honor of saying yes?”

It feels almost like Will’s proposing, even though Nico knows he’s not. He’s asking Nico out on a real date. Not one set up by either of their fathers. And not because this is an arranged marriage. But because Will actually likes Nico. And Nico really likes Will.

“Yes. I really like you, too.”

Will looks happy enough to burst as he grins so wide. Nico rolls his eyes again, trying to tamp down the heat in his cheeks. He snags the last piece of fruit, popping it into his mouth. Will meets his gaze.

“May I kiss you now?” Will asks. Nico pretends to think for a moment before nodding. Will giggles into the kiss, smiling so wide Nico’s not actually sure this counts as a proper kiss. After a few moments of trying to compose themselves enough to do it properly, they give up, saving it for another time.

“You make me so happy, Nico di Angelo,” Will whispers. “Although, I really wanted that last blueberry.” Nico bursts out laughing.


	20. jason's fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has a secret admirer, and Nico's just trying to work up the nerve to confess. :)

In retrospect, it was Jason’s fault. Jason had called in sick about twenty minutes before Nico was about to leave for class, and Nico was already too far into his getting ready routine to head back to bed. The whole reason he was taking this class was because Jason thought it’d be good for him. Oh, and Will Solace. Which is currently why Nico’s mad at Jason.

Because Nico had not prepared himself to suddenly become lab partners with Will. Their professor had been talking about pairing the class up for weeks now, and Nico just kind of assumed it’d never actually be done. But, it seemed that today was the day. And by some stroke of luck (or misfortune) that Nico was calling Jason, he was now lab partners with his long-time crush.

“Nico, right?” Will asks softly, startling Nico from his thoughts. “I’m Will.”

He says it like Nico’s not supposed to know his name, and Nico supposes that’s true. There are a lot of things he knows about Will Solace that Will probably thinks Nico doesn’t know. Like his birthday or that he volunteers at a pet adoption place every weekend. Or his class schedule (19 credits!). Or that he hasn’t had a boyfriend since high school (if his social media is any indicator).

“Yeah, Nico,” Nico says. While he knows a lot about Will, he hasn’t actually spoken too much to him. He’d first met Will when they had an intro to literature class a year ago, and Nico still had yet to get over his crush. (It really didn’t help that Will was super adorable and amazingly handsome and just overall an amazing person.) “Did you have an idea for this assignment? I’m so far behind I don’t even know why I’m in this class.”

Will smiles at him, and Nico kind of melts. Because he’s been waiting for Will to turn that amazing smile on him ever since he first saw it. “I kind of looked ahead in the syllabus,” Will’s saying now. “I was thinking we could do something with aquaponics, maybe.” He shrugs, ducking his eyes back to the assignment sheet, a little pink rising to his cheeks.

Aside from Nico’s brain malfunctioning every time he got even remotely close to Will, this was another reason Nico had yet to talk to Will. Because Will seemed very shy (or at least introverted), and Nico knew his vibe wasn’t all that comforting and gentle at first glance. He wore black, holes in his jeans, a skull ring on his finger, sunglasses. Will, on the other hand, wore khakis or sweatpants, pastel sweaters and colorful T-shirts that didn’t have skulls or printed blood on them. (Maybe Nico should start wearing more color.)

“Um, yeah, that could be cool,” Nico says. He doesn’t actually really know what hydroponics is even though he’s been sitting this class for the last five weeks. He wishes he could redo his whole first impression thing because he’s really sucking at this right now. “What exactly is that?”

Will blushes a little deeper. “It’s basically growing plants without soil. Like, um, those fish tanks that have plants growing out the top? And the plants kind of feed the fish while the fish feed the plants. And the plants clean the water. Sorta.” He shrugs again, pulling his sweatshirt sleeves over his fingertips. Nico thinks if Will managed to crawl inside his sweatshirt, Nico would just die on the spot.

“Well, I guess we have a month to do the project, so we’ve got time,” Nico says. Will nods. “Maybe we can set it up this weekend or something? I don’t know if you’re busy.”

“Um, I’ve got something on Saturday, but Sunday could work,” Will says. “I could get your number?”

Nico feels himself blush also at this, and he hastily pulls out his phone to hand to Will. He’s tempted to add an emoji to Will’s contact, but he stops himself. If he scares Will away now, he won’t have another chance. He lets out a slow breath, hoping Will’s oblivious to his inner struggle. Will hands him back his phone, complete with number and email.

“I’ll just text you,” Nico says after a moment of silence. Will nods. Then Nico gets up to go and find Jason, hoping that he’s actually sick so that he can rant properly.

He finds Jason over at Piper’s place, lounging on her couch and sipping at a bowl of soup. Apparently, he was well enough to intrude on his girlfriend but not to stand by Nico today. Nico knocks and lets himself in. (A perk of being Jason’s best friend is that Nico also has a spare key.)

“How was class?” Jason asks. Now that he’s speaking, he does sound a little sick, mostly congested. It’s probably just a cold. “Anything exciting happen? Or did she just drone on about the nitrogen cycle?”

Nico huffs. “She assigned lab partners, and because you weren’t there, we’re not partners.” He plops down on the couch after stealing a bowl of soup. It wasn’t homemade, but Nico was hungry. “So I hope you’re happy.”

Jason sits up a little more, looking at Nico. “Yeah, sorry about that. I was feeling worse this morning, I swear.” He coughs lightly into his shirt. “Who’d you get paired with, anyway? Tell me it wasn’t Luke or Bryce.”

“Will Solace.” At this, Jason’s face lights up with a smile.

“Oh my gods, Nico this is a good thing!” He’s grinning too much for Nico’s liking. He gestures to Piper who’s just walked in. “Nico just got paired with Will in our lab. Isn’t that amazing?”

Piper laughs. “Calm down, Jace. You’re scaring Nico.” She pats Jason’s shoulder, sitting between him and Nico. “But I do think this could be good, you know? You still have that crush on him, right?”

Nico nods. He should have known that Jason wouldn’t take his side. He was always much too supportive of Nico. Nico finishes off his soup, washing out his bowl. He keeps glancing down at his phone, expecting a text from Will to pop up, even though he’s pretty sure he’ll have to text first.

“Hey, I’ve got a plan on how you could win him over,” Jason says. Nico groans.  
-  
Will was more excited than he felt that he should be, going to the pet store and picking out a fish. He’d never had a pet of his own to care for, so this would be the first time going through the entire process himself. Growing up, he’d shared a family dog, and the animals he cared for on the weekends weren’t his.

“You look like a little kid in a toy shop,” Reyna says, smiling. She’s coming with him to make sure he makes appropriate choices as the fish tank will be in their shared space since that’s where the best windows are. “I’m going to go play with the kitties. Don’t buy more than three fish, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Will says. He hurries over to the fish tanks where he sees so many fish just swimming around. He’s done his research, so he’s looking at some goldfish. While you couldn’t eat goldfish, they would be cheap and easy to take care of, and they would fit in a smaller tank. They were also good with company, unlike beta fish.

Will ends up picking out three goldfish and two snails. Reyna provided the tank, finding it when she was cleaning out her closet at home. Apparently, her sister had once had fish. Will gets a few other things before joining Reyna up at the front. She was cuddling a cute black kitten who was batting at her curls.

“Her name is Stormy,” Reyna says. Will scratches her head before holding up his goldfish.

“And this is Jerry and Freddy and Alexander. Nico can name the snails.” Reyna smiles at him. He knows it’s a little silly to name fish and snails, but he’s so excited for this project. And the fish are cute and deserve names. At home, he follows the instructions on the bags so that they can adjust to the water temperature. He’s already cleaned out the tank and filled it with the right water.

“So, what plants are you growing?” Reyna asks. “Do herbs grow well? We could use some. Maybe they’ll inspire us to cook more.”

Will laughs. Both of them were on the school meal plan though they lived off campus. At the beginning of the year, they’d made a goal to cook at least twice each week, and they’d fallen behind.

“We could do basil or mint if you wanted. I think they both grow pretty well.” Reyna nods.

“Your fish look happy.” Will agrees. They swim around, testing out their new water. The snails have automatically attached themselves to the side of the tank. Will waves to them. “When’s Nico coming over?”

“In about two hours,” Will says. They’d texted last week, and Nico had given Will the okay to go ahead and get the fish. Will wondered if he sounded that excited over text or if Nico just didn’t really care. Will was okay with that as long as Nico did the rest of the work.

“Need me to leave?” Reyna asks. “I’m just working on an essay right now, so I can go to the library.” Will shrugs. In all honesty, he was a bit nervous to be hanging out alone with Nico. Sure they were doing homework and working on their project, but Will never thought he was good with new people.

“Maybe you can stay just for a little bit?” Will asks, chewing on his thumb. Reyna smiles at him, going back to her paper. They’d known each other for two years now, having met during their freshman English class. She’s still there when Nico arrives, his backpack thrown over his shoulder. Will’s a little surprised that he isn’t wearing all black, but he kind of likes seeing Nico in color.

“The tank is over here.” He’s about to introduce the fish to Nico when he feels that Nico might find that childish, so he just gestures to them, smiling. In his head, he goes ahead and names the snails Sammy and Gary, hoping Nico won’t mind.

“So we just need the plants?” Nico asks. Will nods. “Did you have anything in mind for that? Or we were just going to try something and see how it goes?” He walks around the tank a little, looking inside. “I like the snails. What do they do?”

“They, um, clean the tank by eating the stuff that builds up. And I was kind of thinking basil and mint unless you had something else in mind?”

Nico shakes his head. “You’re the scientist. I’m just trying to get that B.” He smiles at Will. “I think that this is a good idea. I guess we’ll just take pictures and document what happens?” Will nods. That’s what he was thinking. The project guidelines were vague on purpose to allow the students to do what they wanted.

They sit down on the couch and write up the beginning, detailing what their plan is and what they intend to do. They list out the fish, the snails, the type of water, the rocks, what plants they’re going to grow. Nico glances over at Will’s paper, and Will suddenly feels self-conscious for putting the fish’s names down.

“How are you listing the fish and snails? Just as fish or fish A and fish B?” He leans closer to Will to try and read Will’s paper.

“I kind of gave them names, so yeah,” Will says. He tugs on his sleeves, shrugging.

“That’s a good idea,” Nico says. He drops his pencil, getting off the couch to retrieve it. “How do you know which one is which?”

Will catches Reyna smile at him as he leads Nico back over to the fish tank. “So, Jerry is all orange. And Freddy has more white. And Alexander is chubbier and has that black mark there.” Nico nods. The fish don’t pay them any attention. “And then Sammy’s a darker grey than Gary.”

“Gary?” Nico asks. “Like in SpongeBob?” Will shrugs. He hadn’t been thinking about SpongeBob when he named the snails, but he supposes that it makes sense. “I never really watched the show, but I’ve seen several episodes. Gary was always my favorite.”

Will smiles. “I haven’t really seen the show either.”

Nico finishes his notes, wanting Will to check them over. Will notes how nice Nico’s handwriting is. His own handwriting looks kind of like scribbles. Then Nico leaves with promises to bring the plants to class so that they can start growing.

“He was nice,” Reyna says, smirking. Will just nods. He’s not sure what Reyna’s talking about, but he’s glad she ended up staying the whole time.

“Did you finish your essay?”

“Almost. And you just changed the subject. I think he might like you.”

Will shrugs. “What do you mean? We’re just doing a project together. The professor paired us up. It’s not like he chose me.”

“But he wanted it to be you,” Reyna says. Will’s not sure what to say. On one hand, it’s a little flattering that Reyna thinks Nico likes him. On the other, there’s no way Nico likes him. Nico was so cool and had cool friends. He was an English major, and Will had read one of his short stories in the journal their school published every year. Will was just a biology major who repeated other people’s experiments and couldn’t small talk to save his life.

“I heard he liked the captain of the swim team,” Will says. Yet another reason Nico would never like him. He wasn’t athletic or strong. He’d needed Reyna’s help to open the jam jar this morning. And Percy was conventionally handsome with green eyes and sun-streaked black hair.

“Percy’s got a girlfriend, though.” Will shrugs. That didn’t mean that Nico didn’t like him. It just meant Nico couldn’t date him. Reyna sighs, pointing her highlighter at Will. “You’re cooler than you think you are, Will. Believe me, okay?”

Will sighs, smiling a little. “Okay.”  
-  
Nico’s nervous when he walks into the biology class with a hot tea. He’s never really done this before, something that Jason calls courting and Piper describes as rom-com stuff. He sets the tea on Will’s desk before leaving the classroom again. Technically, he’s supposed to give it to Will, but he’d gotten to class early enough that no one else would be in the room.

He waits another good twenty minutes before exiting the bathroom and walking as casually as possible into the room. There are a few students there, either looking half asleep or furiously completing homework for another class. Nico takes his seat, tensing a little when Jason walks in. Jason winks at him.

“Nico, this isn’t the plan,” he says quietly.“I’m already nervous, Jason.” He crosses his arms, putting his earbuds in. This is why he never gets to class early. Because then he has plenty of time to overthink everything he’s just done. Like, Will will like the shirt he’s wearing? Did he put on too much deodorant? He brushed his teeth, right? Though this is a ten o’clock class, it’s early for Nico.

Will comes in just as the professor walks in. (He has a class before this, Nico knows, so he’s always one of the last ones in.)

“Hey, um, is this your coffee?” Will asks, nudging Nico. He sees Jason shoot him a look before shaking his head.

“No, but there’s a note on it,” Nico says. His hands are sweating now. He’s not sure why he chose this class. He should have chosen any of the other classes Will had. Will glances at the teacher before turning the cup around to look at the note. It’s a haiku Nico wrote. (Technically, it’s in Jason’s handwriting, though, since Nico thinks his is too recognizable.)

I think you are cute.  
Here is some hot tea for you.  
I hope you like it.

Will blushes as he stares at the cup for a few moments longer. Nico watches as Will lifts the lid a little to smell the tea. Then he takes a sip. Nico has to tear his eyes away from Will’s throat, jotting down whatever the professor has just written on the board. He can practically hear Jason sighing.

Luckily for them, they don’t have to split into their lab groups today, so Nico can just focus on taking notes. Will doesn’t say anything to him in class, though he does keep glancing over at Nico and Jason. Jason nudges Nico, mouthing that he should fess up to the hot tea. Nico can’t believe Jason talked him into this.

(Well, he can. Nico’s always had a rather soft spot for Will Solace, and the crush is definitely getting worse. But how dare Jason do this to Nico.)

Before leaving, Will gives a little wave in their direction. He looks like he wants to say something, pausing just a bit, but then he leaves. Jason does sigh now.

“I can’t believe you didn’t give it to him. Or at least say it was from you,” Jason says. He lightly bangs his head on the desk before standing up. “Look, if you follow this plan, you two will be dating by the end of the week. At your rate, it could take another year!”

“Have some faith in me,” Nico huffs, though he knows Jason’s right. At least Will finished the tea. He’d stood in the cafe this morning for twenty minutes, trying to decide what to get Will. He knew he didn’t like coffee from one of Reyna’s posts (yes, Nico was an expert at social media stalking), but he wasn’t sure what kind of tea or if hot chocolate would be too sweet.

“I do! But you know what they say: actions speak louder than words.” Jason nudges him. “You’ve been crushing on him forever, and now’s your chance to go for it.”

Nico nods. He agrees. Either he’s got to go for it, or he’s got to let it go. “Maybe I’ll sign the next one.”

Jason grins. “Will’s such a nice guy. I wonder why he hasn’t had that many partners.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “The number of guys you date doesn’t say how great you are. More like how much of a jerk you are.” Jason laughs. “Besides, I kind of think Will is looking for more lasting relationships than one-night stands and flings.”

Jason shrugs. “To each other own. I’m perfectly content with Piper.”

Nico knows. Jason and Piper are already starting to talk about moving in with each other. Right now, Piper’s got a roommate, but next semester, her roommate is transferring. And then Nico will need to find a roommate because he’s not about to pay rent by himself.

That night, Nico drafts a few more haikus for Jason to copy. The plan is to leave them around campus where he knows only Will’ll find them. He’s thinking he’ll make them less and less vague so, hopefully, Will can figure out who’s sending the notes. And then Nico can figure out if Will reciprocates his feelings.  
-  
Will’s not sure what to think of the sticky-notes he’s been finding. After the hot tea, and among the sticky-notes, he’s gotten other little gifts. He’s gotten seashells (which he put in the aquarium), a sheet of penguin stickers, a Hershey bar on the day he was bummed about not doing so great on one of his tests.

“I think you’ve got a secret admirer,” Reyna says. She’s spread the sticky-notes out on the counter, looking at them. Will feels his face flush. He wants them to be admirer notes, but he’s not sure what to think about them. Why would someone be sending him gifts and cute notes?

Most of the notes were short and cute, telling him to look at the sky or how green the grass was. Others said more about the sender while still being super vague. A few more called him cute or handsome or that he had a nice smile. Will had saved all of the sticky-notes, wondering if he could figure out who was sending all of them.

“Whoever they are, they’ve got to know your schedule pretty well,” Reyna says. Will nods. He found most of them on his way to classes, his name written at the top with a cute little smiley face beside it. “And they seem to know you, too. I mean, only you would actually stop and look at the clouds because a note told you to.”

Will blushes at this, and Reyna smiles. “I don’t understand,” Will says. “I mean, why go through all the trouble?”

“Whoever they are is clearly trying to get your attention. And maybe they’re nervous? I mean, imagine going up to a really cute boy and asking if they like you?” Reyna’s grinning at him in a way that says she’s happy for him. “Do you want to find out who this is?”

Will shrugs. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s for another Will, you know? Like, and the other Will just doesn’t appreciate the notes.”

Reyna sighs. “Well, this Will right here does appreciate the notes. So it must be meant to be.” She ruffles his hair. “Wouldn’t it be nice to get back into the dating world? I know your last boyfriend wasn’t all that great.”

Will sighs. No, Brock wasn’t all that great of a boyfriend, always forgetting about Will or trying to ‘fix’ Will, make him more mature or sociable. But Will had tried to be a good boyfriend for Brock, going to social events and dressing neatly. In the end, though, Brock found someone better suited to his tastes.

“Maybe.” Whoever the note-sender was seemed to be a nice person. And Reyna had a point that they were appealing to Will’s interests. They’d brought Will tea; he hated coffee. They had given him stickers that were currently holding up Will’s schedule and to-do lists. They knew that he liked to look at the clouds, though maybe anyone who followed him on social media knew that. Brock had always made fun of Will for that, saying it was childish.

“I think you should go for it,” Reyna says. “And if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. But, you know, what if it does?”

Will shrugs. “I guess it works out?” Reyna laughs, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, I should think so.” She pauses. “Say you’ll at least try. If he turns out to be a creep, I’ll beat him up.”

Will nods. “Okay, yeah.” He smiles. It feels kind of nice that someone out there has a crush on him, or maybe at least wants to be his friend. He didn’t have that many friends, and he had even less after Brock deemed most of them too nerdy or childish.

Reyna heads to her room to get ready for her next class while Will looks at the notes again. Carefully, he collects them, taking them back to his room. There, he sticks them in his nightstand. If he was being honest with himself, he kind of wants Nico to be the secret-admirer. After about a week and a half into this project, Will was starting to look forward to Nico coming over. 

They’d make lunch and log the progress of the plants and fish and snails. Nico would say hi to all of them by name, though Will’s sure he’s just doing that for Will’s benefit. Nico was too cool to go around talking to animals and looking for shapes in the clouds. Maybe he thought Will was too childish and only put up with him because they were lab partners.

“Will, I can hear you thinking from my room,” Reyna says, appearing in the doorway. “Relax. I didn’t mean to make you anxious. Whoever it is, clearly already likes you. So all you have to do is be your perfect self, okay? Now, do you want to come and get food with me before my next class?”  
-  
Nico’s back over at Will’s place. The basil and mint plants are growing really well, Nico thinks. They’ve gained at least five or six new leaves, and the water is pretty clean. Will has to explain some of the sciencey terms from the article he sent over the weekend, but Nico thinks he’s starting to get the hang of it now.

He’s always liked more engaging assignments because, while they were more work, Nico also understood them better. He had to actually know the material rather than just skimming over the reading and taking a test. And Will was a good teacher. He was kind and patient and sometimes had to doodle in the margins of their rough draft so that Nico could visualize what was happening.

“Hey, um, do you want to come over to my place for lunch?” Nico asks. Usually, they just made sandwiches here after Nico came over in the middle of Will having lunch. “I could use some of this basil.”

Will smiles. “Um, sure. If your roommate wouldn’t mind.”

Nico shrugs. “I doubt Jason would mind. In fact, he’ll probably make an excuse to hang out just so he doesn’t have to get his own food.” Nico rolls his eyes, feeling suddenly a little nervous as Will goes to get his shoes. He’s wearing a light pink sweater today and jeans, his hair looking like he just rolled out of bed (but in a good way).

The drive over is quiet, and Nico’s wondering if Will’s reading into this. Making lunch is definitely a step up from making sandwiches and then talking about fish hygiene and water filtration. He texts Jason that he’s making lunch, and Jason texts back that he’s already back at the apartment.

“So, maybe excuse the mess,” Nico says. “I promise we’re not usually slobs.” Will cracks a smile, biting his thumb a little before walking through the door. The apartment isn’t actually that messy, but Nico had just dumped his laundry on the couch that morning, and Jason’s project notes for a history class are spread all over the kitchen table. And a sweater that Nico’s pretty sure is Piper’s is draped over a lamp.

“Hey, Will,” Jason says, coming into the living room. He grabs his notes and Piper’s sweater, gesturing for Will to sit down by Nico’s pile of (clean) laundry. Nico flushes a little when he realizes his boxers are on top, and he quickly whisks his clothes away.

“You forgot one,” Will says, bending down to pick up Jason’s notecard. He frowns at it for a moment, and Nico wonders if he has something against whatever Jason’s project is on. (Nico’s offered to help, but Jason had merely waved him off, saying he didn’t want to bore Nico with the details.)

“You’re a lucky man,” Jason says now, smiling at Will. Nico wonders if he can somehow get Jason to leave. “Nico’s very particular about who gets to taste his amazing cooking.” Will blushes at this, glancing over at Nico.

“I’m not particular. But you know it’s easier to cook for a small group rather than a large one,” Nico huffs. “Or maybe you wouldn’t since you never cook.” He rolls his at the last part.

Jason just shrugs. “Why would I need to cook when I room with a chef?”

“Maybe when you live with Piper? I know neither of you particularly like to cook.” Jason doesn’t seem to be very concerned.

“We can just come over for dinner here. And maybe lunch, too. I’m sure we can handle breakfast.” He pauses. “Speaking of which, Will, do you need a place to live next semester?”

“Um, no?” Will says.

“He’s got a place, Jason. Because his roommate isn’t moving out halfway through the year.”

Nico moves into the kitchen to start on lunch, and Will moves to the kitchen table. He seems like he wants to help Nico with something, so Nico gets him to cut up some potatoes. He smiles when he sees that Will seems to be measuring each of his slices to make sure each cube is about the same size.

“It’s okay if they aren’t all the same size,” Nico says softly. Will blushes, turning back to the potatoes. Jason hovers around the kitchen, pretending to study, though he’s just looking at his phone (most likely snapping pictures of Nico and Will cooking together).

“So, Will, what’cha here for?” Will looks confused. “What major,” Nico clarifies.

“Oh, um, biology.” He pauses, finishing up with another potato. “Oh, you?”

“Classics major,” Jason says. “And Nico’s an English major, though you probably already knew that.”

Nico doubts Will’s as invested in Nico’s life as Nico’s invested in his, so he’s surprised when Will speaks up again.

“Oh, yeah. I saw his, um, your, short story last year. It was amazing,” Will says, turning to Nico.

“Did you cry at the end?” Jason asks. “I did. Who knew the grandma was going to die?” Will doesn’t answer, too busy chopping up potatoes, but Nico thinks he sees a tiny nod. He’s surprised that Will’s read his story. Not many students read the literary journal that gets published twice a year and hardly anyone ever looks at the names. Most people just glance at it and keep on their way.

The chicken is almost ready by the time Will finishes the potatoes. Normally, he likes to have everything come out at the same time, but he knows how hard Will worked on those potatoes. He sticks them in the oven after seasoning them. Jason, for his part, sets the table and gets everyone water.

The potatoes are done soon enough, and they all sit down to eat. Nico tries not to watch Will too closely as he takes a bite, but he’s pleased when he sees that Will likes it. Most of the conversation is about school, not really delving into personal matters. Will cleans his plate, and Nico takes this as a good sign. It’d be a bummer if Will didn’t like his cooking.

“Thanks for lunch,” Will says. “See each other in class?”

Nico nods. Just as he’s dropping Will off, he manages to slip a sticky-note into Will’s backpack.  
-  
Will’s not sure how to feel. He’s been in kind of a funk all day after waking up late and then not having time to eat a good breakfast. He overscheduled himself, so he’s been running around all day. Now, all he wants to do is go back to his apartment and take a nap. But he has so much homework to do.

The only bright part of his day is that he found another sticky note waiting for him outside the English building. It’d been stuck to the lamppost, a leaf drawn by his name.

The leaves are changing  
Want to go to the leaf fest  
I can pick you up?

The leaf fest was a fall tradition that happened every year on campus. Everyone got together on the quad to mark the leaves changing colors and to have cider and roast marshmallows. There were also pumpkins out, and even though it was a little early to be carving, Will always did it anyway. Halloween deserved more than one day.

Will feels something warm in his chest as he smiles. He’s really been trying to figure out who the mystery note-sender is, and he can’t believe he’s so close to finding out. By Saturday evening, he’ll know. He knows it’s probably a little silly to think that the notes are any more than friendly. They could just be someone who wants to see Will get out more or thought that he’d make a good friend. And while Will’s started imagining more, another friendship might be nice, right?

Will’s not sure how he’s supposed to respond to the message. Was the note-sender watching him? Quickly, he takes out a pen and sticky-note of his own, writing a yes on it. He sticks it to the post, taking the original note with him. He smiles, heading to the student union to grab some coffee.

“Hey, Will!” Jason calls. Will smiles, ordering himself a hot tea and a croissant. He sits by the window, settling into the cushy seats. He’s so glad that the school splurged to get new seats this year. Last year, he hardly ever came here because it was just too uncomfortable to do homework for too long.

“Here ya go,” Jason says. He smiles as he places Will’s cup on the table. “A hot tea and a croissant.” Will thanks him before freezing, his eyes glued to the spot where Will’s name is written on the cup. It’s not that his name is there; he knows other people besides Jason deliver the drinks, so the names are helpful. It’s how the name is written.

Slowly, Will pulls out the sticky-note that he’s just found, holding it up to the cup. He feels suddenly cold as he realizes that they’re in the same unmistakable handwriting. He thinks back to Jason’s notes the other week, realizing why they seemed so familiar. Jason’s been writing Will the notes. Jason has a girlfriend. Jason’s just being nice.

Will feels his stomach sink. Jason probably had good intentions, but Will had let himself hope that it might possibly be meant as more than a pick-you-up. The gifts were also from Jason, and Will wouldn’t just leave notes and gifts for someone he didn’t really care about, right? He’d read too much into it, and now he was disappointed.

He had been intending on doing some homework here before heading to a club meeting later. But now he just really wants to go back to his room. He grabs his tea, covering his name with his hand. He doesn’t feel hungry, but he’s sure Reyna might want the croissant.

He finds himself walking up to the counter where Jason’s making a coffee. “Um, hey, thanks for everything, but it’s not necessary.” Jason looks confused, and Will doesn’t feel like explaining. Instead, he heads home, dropping everything on the kitchen table and crawling into bed for a much-needed nap.

When he wakes up, he finds Reyna eating his croissant in the living room. “Jerry and Alex and Gary and Sammy and Freddy are all worried about you,” she says. “And me now. You seem bummed. Did something happen?”

Will shrugs, plopping himself on the couch. He’s missed his club meeting, but he doubts that anyone will notice his absence. He’s just glad that today’s Friday. It’ll be a whole two days before he has to face Jason again. He pulls the newest note out of his pocket and crumples it up.

“Will?” Reyna reaches over, uncrumpling the note. “Do you not want to go? You love the leaf fest.”

Will sighs. “Jason was the one leaving the notes. I guess he just thought I needed some cheering up or something.” He knows he sounds pathetic. Anyone else would be happy to be getting secret notes and gifts.

“Jason? Nico’s friend?” Reyna asks. Will nods. “How’d you find out it was him?”

“The handwriting. I haven’t seen anyone else write like that.” Reyna nods slowly.

“I’m sorry, Will.” They both know he wanted it to be more than just a friendly gesture. He’s glad he already ate the chocolate. But he kind of wants to take the stickers down. Though, he’s pretty sure Jerry will get mad at him if he removes the shells. “I think you should still go to the leaf fest. It’ll be fun, secret admirer or not.”

“Maybe.” Reyna nods, not pushing him. He’ll get over it soon, probably. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s read too much into something. “Can we get takeout tonight? I don’t feel like cooking.”

Reyna smiles. “Sure.”  
-  
Nico had been waiting all day for a text from Will to confirm that he wanted to go to the leaf fest. Finally, it occurred to him that maybe Will left a response by the note. Two hours ago, when he’d found the note, he’d been so happy. But now that it was getting dark, Nico was getting nervous. Did Will know it was him? Jason had said that Will had been acting weird yesterday, but maybe he’d gotten a bad grade or forgot his homework. (Not that any of that sounded like Will.)

“Relax, Nico. I’m sure Will will be overjoyed to see you.”Nico rolls his eyes. He doubts Will’ll be that excited, but he hopes that Will won’t be too surprised that it’s him. He tried to give hints, but whenever it got too specific, he always crossed it out. He rereads the note that he’s written for Will tonight, breathing deeply. He can do this. Will’s never shied away from Nico’s advances, and he seems to like Nico’s company at least. Maybe they can start as friends and then work their way into a relationship.

At a quarter to seven, Nico goes over to Will’s apartment. Reyna looks surprised to see him.

“Um, is Will here?” Nico asks. “We’re going to the leaf fest together. I think.” This isn’t going at all as he’d planned.

For a moment, Reyna looks confused. Then a smile breaks over her face. “It’s you,” she says. “With the notes?” Nico nods, smiling. “Hold on a moment.” She lets him in, telling him to stand in the kitchen while she goes into Will’s room. Nico tries not to listen to their conversation, though he can’t really hear much anyway. He’s pretty sure he’s smeared the ink by now with his sweaty hands.

“Hi,” Will says as he pads out into the room. He looks like he’s dressed for bed, his hair sticking up a bit. “Um, are you here to say hi to Alexander?” Nico smiles. He’d deemed Alexander his favorite a few weeks back.

“No, um, actually, I’m here to take you to the leaf fest.” Several emotions flash across Will’s face, and then he just looks confused.

“I thought it was Jason?” Will asks. For a moment, Nico feels disappointed because maybe Will had a crush on Jason? But then he realizes.

“Oh, no. They’re my notes, my writing. I just made Jason write them. Because I got so nervous that you’d recognize my handwriting immediately and then I wouldn’t know what to do. Especially since I didn’t know if you liked me or not. So I kind of let Jason con me into this elaborate plan of winning you over,” Nico blurts.

Will blinks. “So you’ve been sending the notes?” Nico nods. Will glances at Reyna, and she nods. “Why me?”

Nico shrugs. “I don’t know. You’re just so smart and funny and cute. And I’ve liked you forever. You do cute things like naming your fish and look at the clouds and get excited over learning about bacteria. And I have a note for you.”

Will blushes, reading the note.

I really like you  
Would you do me the honor  
Of going out with (me)?

“It’s not a perfect haiku, but I couldn’t figure out any other wording,” Nico explains.

“Really?” Will asks. Nico almost thinks he’s questioning his haiku skills before he realizes that Will’s talking about something else.

“Yes. If you want to. I’d really like to go out with you. And to the leaf fest. I had to look it up after you brought it up last week.”

Will laughs, nodding. “I’d like to.”

His face is still red after he changes clothes, his freckles almost completely hidden as he takes Nico’s hand. Reyna waves, saying she’ll catch up with them later and to carve a pumpkin for her. Nico feels giddy as he leads Will towards the quad. Will’s hand is warm in his, and he’s grinning, blushing every time he looks at Nico.

Nico wonders if it’d have been like this if he’d confessed sooner, if he’d have spent the last month holding Will’s hands and marveling in that adorable blush. He’d like to think so. But, as it turned out, he couldn’t do anything simple. But he’d listened to Jason’s plan. So, in a way, this was Jason’s fault.

(Not that Nico was complaining.)


	21. safe and sound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's used to saving everyone. Maybe he needs some saving himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not sure if this needs a warning or not - does touch a bit on life and death  
> please let me know if I need to tag anything
> 
> warning: temporary character death, brief talk of suicide, brief talk of life and death

Nico loves his job. He likes being out in the field, likes being able to lead his own missions, likes the irregularity of it. Of course, part of this is due to the fact that most of his friends are in the same business, and he’s very single. (He’s pretty sure that it’d be hard to find someone who embraced hunting down rogue demons and supernatural creatures as much as he did. Percy was too darn lucky.)

He rolls out his bed, his muscles still sore from last week’s mission. He’d ended up falling down a set of stairs, trying to chase a demon through the dark. Luckily, there weren’t all that many stairs or something worse might have happened. Still, Reyna had rolled her eyes and sighed, immediately demanding that he go see his chiropractor to make sure he hadn’t completely misaligned his spine.

So this hunting business was serious. Nico was fortunate that he was young and athletic. Most of his supervisors and heads were nearing their early thirties and talking of retiring. Nico supposed part of this was also due to them wanting to settle down. And settling down was difficult when one could be called in at any time of the day or night. The hours are unpredictable, and Nico likes that, too.

“One of these days, Nico,” Reyna’s saying now, “you’re going to fall head over heels for someone and question your entire life.”

Nico huffs. Reyna’s pretty dead set on finding Nico a boyfriend, even someone to just hook up with a bit of time. She claims that he’s too secluded and private, even for their small group. Nico’s not sure Reyna’s one to talk, though, as he’s the only one she’s even bothered to check in on for the last week.

“Why would I question my entire life?” Nico asks. “My lifestyle choices aren’t that bad.”

He can practically see Reyna rolling her eyes. “What if they don’t believe in the supernatural? What if they don’t like you running off whenever you get a call? What if you want to have a more predictable schedule so that you can go on dates and not have that fear of having to run off?”

“Thanks, Reyna. Now I’m questioning my entire life.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I guess I’ll just see what happens. Maybe I’ll meet someone who loves supernatural creatures or has an irregular schedule.”

Reyna hums. “I can’t believe Percy scored in that department. Of course, he’d charm the socks off of Annabeth.”Nico snorts. “It probably helps that he’s such a heroic doofus that he managed to save her life that one time.” That day had been scary for all of them but for Annabeth the most when she came to the realization that her childhood best friend might actually die. And ever since then, they’ve been pretty much inseparable. With the added bonus of sometimes walking in on them making out.

“Heroic deeds do go a long way,” Reyna says. “But that is not a suggestion to throw yourself into the jaws of death.” They all knew about Nico’s tendency to dive headfirst into problems. It was something he’d learned from Percy. Maybe that was a good sign?

“Yeah, yeah. Self-preservation and all that. I know.” It wasn’t that he was trying to die, but this job sometimes required sacrifices. And he saw it as his duty to protect the general citizens. He could count on his fingers the number of people who would miss him. And they all understood the same risks.  
-  
Nico was starting to rethink his ideas on self-preservation. He’d gotten an alert about three hours ago and had met up with a small portion of his team to track down the demon. Demons were slimy creatures, and it was difficult to tell exactly what one was looking for. They had an idea of what they were looking for, a shadow demon of some sort.

“Camouflage,” Percy had said after Annabeth explained. She shoots him a look.

“We need to be very careful. These types are even more slippery than the rest of them.” She glances around the room as she speaks, observing the lights, the walls, the window. Nico felt a sense of paranoia creep over his skin, and he knew it was just the demon working to try and scare them.

“Everyone knows the safe word?” Reyna asks. They all did, but it was something that needed to be asked each time. These missions could be dangerous, and sometimes it was best to just evacuate rather than pursue and capture. They all check their equipment, checking the batteries, making sure everything’s connected and calibrated.

Then they split up. Reyna and Nico, Percy and Annabeth. Nico heads down the west wing of the abandoned hospital building. He knew it was cliché to be hunting down a demon in a creepy hospital, but it wasn’t his fault that demons were so predictable in that sense. Sometimes, they just liked hanging out where there were happy memories. (For them.)

“Wait,” Reyna says. Because the building is old, it’s not a surprise to see flickering lights, weird stains, crushed in walls and windows. It just screamed creepy and old, though Nico was used to places like this. Places like this were on the top ten most common sights when hunting down rogue supernatural creatures. At least it was confined, he thought. He hated city chases. They were nothing like the stuff in movies.

“What’s up?” Nico asks.

“There’s that weird spot down there. It wasn’t there before,” Reyna says. She’s pointing down the hallway. Nico nods, noting the shadowy spot that seems too out of place to have a reason for being there. “Should we call the others?”

Nico shakes his head. “Not if it’s just a hunch. Or a distraction. For all we know, they could be sneaking up on him right now.”

Reyna nods. They start towards the shadowy spot, and Nico can feel Reyna growing hesitant.

“Nico,” she starts. And then there’s a crashing sound. Their walkie-talkies beep in unison, Annabeth’s voice coming through.

“Pomegranates,” she yells. “The entire south wing is collapsing. Get out now!”

Nico has time to note that the building isn’t collapsing as a usual building would. It’s not just cracking and falling and plummeting. It’s almost like it’s being squeezed. Walls are caving in, and glass flies into the hallways. There’s the sound of snapping metal and creaking infrastructure. The hallways are getting more narrow as Reyna and Nico fling themselves towards the emergency exits.

“Wait!” Nico yells as he turns the last corner. Reyna gives him a wild look before trying to grab at his wrist and pull him through the doorway. Nico darts away, something catching his eye.

“Nico!” Reyna screams. Nico sees Annabeth pull her down the hall as Nico dashes in the other direction. If he can stop the demon, the could save the building and the surrounding area.

“Just evacuate the citizens,” Nico yells. He’s not sure why this building hasn’t been torn down yet (probably due to tax dollars or however that worked), but it’s still located in an inhabited area. Houses and parks surround the hospital, and Nico has no idea how this looks outside.

He finds the demon in a completely untouched room, and the doorway snaps behind him. The demon turns to smile at him, looking too human for Nico’s liking. The demon’s skin crawls like it’s living or dripping, and his eyes are wide and calculating.

Nico fiddles with his equipment. The first rule of the job is to not go into things like this alone, but Nico’s never listened to the rules, and he’s always been a bit stubborn. He drops the collection chamber, scrambling to his knees to grab at it. The demon seems unconcerned about him, and Nico doesn’t understand why until he realizes he’s alone.

Was that just his imagination? Has he just fallen into a trap? Dropping his stuff, he quickly scans the room. The windows are blown out, but he’s on the fifth floor. The door is caving in, so he takes his chances. (There’s a slight chance, he tells himself.) Just as he’s leaping from the window ledge, a bright flash of white drowns his vision.

“Demon?” he asks, his fingers trying to grab at the flash.

He’s greeted with a musical laugh. “Silly human, don’t you know that when you mess with devils, there are angels, too?”

He doesn’t have time to answer as he feels his body crumple.  
-  
When he wakes up, he’s surprised at how much his body doesn’t hurt. Well, it does, but not as much as he’d thought it would. He blinks, scrunching up his nose at the bright light. He’s sore, and he can’t quite feel his toes. Slowly, he tries to remember what happened and where he might be right now.

He’s guessing he’s in a bed, judging by how soft the material is and by the blankets layered over him. He catches sight of bruising along his arms, and he feels more along his back and shoulders. He blinks again, suddenly remembering the demon’s grin. His body jerks violently, remembering his jump from the window.

“Easy now. The mind isn’t as easy to heal,” comes a familiar voice. Nico frowns because he can’t place it. “The bright side is that your body’s healing nicely.” Nico feels a warm hand brush along his forehead, pushing back his sweaty hair. He shivers.

“What?” he manages to get out. His throat is dry, caked with dust. He closes his eyes as he’s helped into a sitting position, dizzy from the movement.

“You died. But now you’re alive again.” There’s a pause. “That was a very stupid thing to do, Nico.”

Nico’s eyes open, and he’s face to face with someone who is definitely not a demon. In fact, he looks angelic. Aside from his dress of a T-shirt and cargo shorts, he has some kind of timely feel about him. He’s smiling at Nico, offering him a glass of water. He’s even put in a pink bendy straw for Nico. Nico sips at it, letting the water coat his throat.

“I died?” The guy nods. “But you saved me?”

The guy smiles. “I’m Will. And it’s nice to know you’re not always stupid.”

Nico wrinkles his nose. “I’m not stupid. It’s not all of us can just fly around and avoid death.”

Will shrugs. “That’s not quite how it works, but okay. I see your point.” He fiddles with the blanket. “Most of your injuries should be gone by the end of the week. I couldn’t do it all at once. Raising the dead is a bit trickier than some people think.”

Nico doesn’t know what to say. “Why were you in the hospital? There haven’t been patients for the last ten years.”

Will’s expression turns sad, and Nico almost regrets asking. “I visit when I can. Some souls need more help than others letting go of the human world.” He pauses. “And angels are drawn to negative energy. The demon you were tracking has been there for a while, and I was just keeping an eye on him.”

“Couldn’t you have fought him or something? Sent him back home?” Nico asks, crossing his arms. He almost regrets the action when his elbows protest.

“I do not have the authority to banish them. We all have places we visit, memories we haunt. The life of an angel isn’t as luxurious as you might be thinking.”

Nico doubts that, but he doesn’t push it. He’s read enough on and met plenty of supernatural creatures to know that some things just shouldn’t be said aloud. He finishes off his water, not sure what to say next.

“Um, thanks,” he says, handing the glass back. “For saving me, you know.”

Will smiles, nodding. “Selfless and desperate acts are the easiest to bring back,” he says. “Those are the ones who most wish for a second chance. Others are harder to reconcile.”

Nico lays back down, suddenly tired. He’s sure it’s his body healing still. “I’ll send your friends in next time,” Will says. “For now, rest.”  
-  
Nico’s on bedrest for the next three days, even when there’s word of a vampire running loose around the city. Will’s left to babysit Nico, and Nico only allows it because he can still see the guilt on his friend’s faces. He knows he was being dumb to be pulled into that trick and to go alone. But he’d really thought that he could capture the demon.

“Anything you want to do?” Will asks. “Do you usually just sit around and wait for a call?”

Nico shrugs. “Not much else to do. I can’t exactly have another job when I don’t know when I’ll be called.”

“That just seems so unproductive.”

Nico shrugs again. His friends have other things to do, but Nico’s never really found a hobby. Reyna’s taken up fencing. Percy swims. Annabeth’s working on learning everything she can about the interest of the week. Nico mostly just sleeps and works out and answers calls.

“What do you do with your time? I bet you have a lot of it.” He pauses. “Do angels have a specific job?”

“Yes and no,” Will says. “It’s a little complicated, I guess.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “We’ve got time.”

Will takes his time, thinking, and Nico waits somewhat impatiently. “Well, angels don’t have specific requirements, I guess. Not like vampires or werewolves. We don’t have to drink blood or shape-shift during a full moon. And we don’t have to save people or help their souls to whatever kind of heaven they believe in.”

“What about hell?” Nico asks, smirking.

“Or hell.” Will runs a hand through his hair. “But we can choose to save people or guide souls. I guess it does become a bit more complicated if we choose to use our abilities for bad purposes.” He shrugs. “I’ve never really tried it before.”

“Would you become a demon?” Nico asks. “Are angels even born?”

“Maybe in a way,” Will says. “They can’t have kids if that’s what you mean. And I can’t exactly tell you when I came into existence. If I had a former life, I don’t remember it. It’s probably better that way, too.”

Nico thinks that’s a little sad, to not remember your former life, to just suddenly come into existence with no past. But maybe there wasn’t a pretty path to angelhood. Maybe certain things were best left in the past. There are a few times in his life he wishes he could just forget (from both his mind and everyone else’s).

“Do you wanna get food or something?” Will asks. “Technically, you’re on bedrest, but we’ll be extra careful.”

“Please. I think I’m going to die again if I have to stay here another moment longer.” Will rolls his eyes at this. They take Nico’s car because Will refuses to fly Nico around. Will directs him to a local cafe where they get sandwiches and hot drinks and sit by the window seat.

“One of my favorite things to do is just watch people walk by,” Will says softly. Nico glances at the people dodging the raindrops. It’s hard to see their faces underneath the hoods and umbrellas. He can’t tell what’s so interesting about them. They all seem like normal people with normal lives. And maybe if you’re not so normal, that’s interesting.

“Is there anything you don’t like about being an angel?” Nico asks after a few minutes of silence. It’s not that he’s uncomfortable with silence, but this is a different kind of silence. It feels heavier, more somber, almost sacred. Will doesn’t answer him. His eyes are trained on the world just beyond the window, and he looks almost sad. Like he wants to reach out and touch it, but he’ll be stopped by the glass.  
-  
Nico’s not sure when it happens, but he notices it one day as they head off to a mission. Reyna’s driving because her car gets better gas mileage and doesn’t let anyone else drive her car unless it’s an emergency. Nico’s in the passenger seat, and he’s about to ask Reyna what the mission is when Will hops in the back seat.

“What are you doing here?” Nico asks. “Like, I thought you had work?”

Will shrugs. “I did, but I switched shifts with a friend.” He buckles up his seatbelt, always the safe passenger. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

Reyna glances at Nico, but he doesn’t have time to read her expression. “We’re headed to this apartment complex. Apparently, there’s been word of a demon haunting it. Possibly the same demon as last time.” This time she does give Nico enough time to read her expression.

“I promise not to go solo again, okay?” Nico says. He holds up his hand as a promise.

“And when we call the code word, you’ll listen,” Reyna says. Nico nods. He’s not sure if his recent death (and resurrection of sorts) has anything to do with Will in the back seat. While they’ve been hanging out with Will, this is the first time Will’s come along for a mission.

“Yes, I promise.” Reyna nods.

“Good. Now navigate for me.” She hands him her phone with the address already plugged in. Nico hits the go button and turns up the speakers. He thinks Reyna makes him navigate just so he can feel useful as co-pilot. Personally, Nico just likes being in control of the radio.

The apartment complex hasn’t been evacuated, but Annabeth tells them that many of the residents have moved out temporarily until the demon is taken care of. Some people still live here, though, so they’ll have to mind people’s privacy and try not to barge in without knocking first.

“Why they even like creeping on places like this?” Percy asks. “I mean, if I were some all-powerful demon, I’d definitely take it up a few notches.” At this, Annabeth slaps Percy’s shoulder.

“Don’t give him any ideas! Besides, demons aren’t all-powerful. They usually only have a specific ability. Curses, hexes, poisons, whatever.”

They go over the plan again, and Will gets paired with Nico and Reyna. Nico doesn’t ask why, though he doesn’t think it’ll hurt having an angel on their side. While Will says he doesn’t have that much sway over demons, Nico still kind of thinks Will’s being humble. He’s read up on what angels have been noted to be able to do, but maybe it’s the whole ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ thing.

“Can you trace souls?” Reyna asks suddenly. Nico sees Will tense up a bit.

“In what way?” he asks.

“Like, I was wondering if you could tell us which apartments were occupied,” Reyna says.

“Shadow demon,” Will says. “The body has died, but the soul refuses to travel on.”

Nico shivers. He remembers the demon’s face, how both human and unnatural he looked. Nico wonders if demons are bad then or if they’re just simply trapped in their own body, unable to move on even if they wanted. He wonders if that’s why they haunt specific places, trying to relive memories because they can hardly make new ones.

“We usually just kill them,” Reyna says quietly.

Will nods. “I can only release the soul if it’s willing.” Selflessness and desperation, Will had said earlier. Two different types of willingness. He’d saved Nico for both.

They continue in silence, Will keeping even quieter as he follows behind them. Nico has a feeling that he’s already found the demon, but maybe he’s trying to work out whether or not he can be saved. Nico’s never liked killing demons, but there was never any other place for them to go. Werewolves and vampires all had communities and could pass for human on most days. Demons never could.

Will tenses as they stop outside an apartment door, and Reyna glances over at Will. He nods slightly, and Reyna quickly picks the lock after trying the handle. She hesitates before stepping over the threshold, eyes trained straight ahead.

Nico has to work not to throw up when he sees the demon. He’s decayed even more than last time they’d met. His skin is oily and dark, seeming like it’s dripping from his frame. His eyes are hollow, and his mouth is gaping. When he speaks, it sounds like a scream and a cry at the same time, and Nico has to cover his ears to not go insane.

Just under the noise, he hears Will’s soft voice. He can’t understand what Will’s saying, but he knows that the words aren’t meant to him. The demon screams louder, his mouth swallowing his body as he shrieks. Nico sees Reyna flinch, her shoulders hunching. If Will hadn’t been here, the demon would have been dead already. Because it was almost impossible to face a demon and not go insane.

“Find peace!” Will’s voice rings out, and the scream becomes so deafening that Nico can no longer hear it. The building rattles for a moment before everything becomes completely still. Nico blinks just in time to see the demon’s body turning to dust. Will’s cupping something in his hands, whispering silently. His hands glow for a moment before returning to normal.

Nico has just enough time to notice Percy and Annabeth standing in the doorway before he faints.  
-  
“We have half a mind to retire you,” Reyna says when Nico regains consciousness. They’re in the car now, and Nico’s laying in Will’s lap while Reyna drives. “Like maybe you should get a job or something. A regular job, I mean. Just take some time off and relax.”

“I’m fine, Reyna. How am I supposed to know that you didn’t faint right after I did?”

Will chuckles. “Percy almost did. He was definitely shaken.” Reyna nods. “Seeing something like that is sometimes almost worse than witnessing death. Especially a quick death.” Nico closes his eyes for a moment, and he can see it all over again. His hands shake, and Will gently cups them in his own.

“But, seriously, Nico, are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just tired.”

“Let’s get food,” Will says. “I’m pretty worn out, too.”

Nico’s pretty sure he can feel Will’s hands shaking, too, but he doesn’t say anything. Will had performed a miracle of sorts; it couldn’t have been easy to release a soul that had held on that long. Too tired to be embarrassed, Nico lays his head back in Will’s lap. Will’s draped his jacket over Nico’s back and arms, and Nico could swear Will was holding him almost protectively.

They stop at a gas station and raid the shelves. Nico rejects the hot dog, but he munches on a blueberry muffin. Will’s got a sandwich, and he offers Nico bites, breaking them off and feeding them to Nico. Nico keeps catching Reyna’s gaze in the rearview mirror, but neither of them says anything.

Reyna heads to Nico’s apartment, practically mothering him once they get through the door. She’s bringing him a glass of water, cutting up some fruit for him to munch on, making sure he’s comfortable. Nico excuses himself to the bathroom just to catch a break.

Eventually, after a little encouragement, Reyna leaves for her own apartment, promising to check in later. Nico sags into the couch, glad that she’s gone. He loves Reyna to pieces, but sometimes she got super protective. He checks his phone, sending out a group message that he’s perfectly fine, that Will’s still there to take care of him, that he’s just tired. Then he turns his phone off.

“I like your friends,” Will says. He’s eaten most of Nico’s fruit which Nico is thankful for. He’s not even sure where Reyna got all of the food she tried to feed him. He’s pretty sure that when he opens his fridge, something will fall out because it’s so stuffed. “I don’t really have any. Not to throw a pity party for myself.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “I guess it’d be hard to have friends if you’re immortal.”

Will shrugs. “At this point, I kind of think I’m used to death. In a slightly morbid way. I see it; I can sometimes feel it.” He shrugs once more. “It’s just kind of a part of life. Even if it’s a sucky part.”

Nico nods. “Do you think you could die? If you wanted to.”

“Like on purpose? Or just like if I grew tired?” He pauses. “I’ve never thought about it. I’ve never wanted to die before, and mortality doesn’t quite work the same for me. Like, I’m not sure I could get run over by a car, and I’ve never gotten sick before.”

Nico turns on the TV, not sure what else to talk about. He’s still not sure what to think about Will. He’s both so old and young at the same time. Like just now when he can talk about life and death because he’s seen it all. But also like two days ago when he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and squealed because he saw the ‘cutest dog ever’.

“It’s okay if you’re still shaken up,” Will says softly. “I remember when I saw my first death. However many years later, and it’s still not easy. I know some angels become apathetic and cynical, but I don’t think I could live with myself then.”“But you have a choice, don’t you? To see that stuff. Because you know it’s going to happen.”

Will shakes his head. “Angels cannot prevent death any more than you can. We’re not gods. That’s why I couldn’t save you before you died. I had to wait to see if you wanted to live.”

Nico lets out a slow breath. He’s not sure why he keeps having these deep conversations with Will. And while he never knows how to respond, it’s not because he’s uncomfortable. Will feels like a well-worn sweater, something both warm and familiar. Nico’s never met someone like that. He wonders if it’s because Will’s seen so much that he just somehow knows what Nico needs.

“You want to see a funny video?” Will asks. He grabs Nico’s phone, powering it back up. Slowly, like an old grandpa, he pokes at the screen, accessing the Internet. Nico’s not sure what to expect, but he laughs when he sees it’s a compilation of cats regretting their decisions.

When the video is over, Will lets it play the next one, and soon they’re laughing and crying, and Nico’s head is resting on Will’s shoulder. They’re sharing a blanket, and Nico has half the mind to just crawl into Will’s lap. He almost does when Will drapes an arm across Nico’s back, holding him closer. Nico curls tighter against Will’s side, seeking his warmth. He smells like grapes and bananas.

“You should go to bed,” Will mumbles into Nico’s hair.

Nico shakes his head. He’s not moving from Will’s side unless Will wants him to. But his arm is still wrapped around Nico, his hand resting lightly against Nico’s hip. “I’m not tired yet,” he says, even as he yawns. He feels more than hears Will laugh.

“Okay. One more.” Nico yawns again, tucking his head into the space between Will’s shoulder and neck. The video’s just started, and Nico’s eyelids are drooping. He feels something gently touch his forehead, and his sleepy brain takes a moment to realize that Will’s just kissed him. It’s only a forehead kiss, but it’s all Nico needs to fall asleep, safe and sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this felt a bit here and there - I don't know if it's clear, but I don't know anything about demons haha


	22. actually

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico resorts to a fake relationship to avoid being deported.

Nico’s staring at the letter in his hands, trying to make sure his features are completely absent of any of the emotions he’s feeling. Deported? He can’t be deported. His entire life is right here, right in this American city. If he’s deported, he’ll lose more than his job. He’ll lose his reputation - both with all of the people he’s worked so hard to impress and with his family.

There’s a knock on his door, and he quickly hides the notice underneath some important papers scattered across his desk. He clears his throat, straightening his tie. He makes sure that his emotions are under control, that he won’t just tell the first soul that walks through the door.

“Come in.”

“Hello, sir,” Will Solace says. He looks disheveled as always, hair ruffled, tie askew, something that looks like a fast food napkin hanging out of his pocket. He’s even got a pen behind his ear, even though Nico’s told him more than once to either just leave it on his desk or put it in a pocket. Nico’s not even sure Will uses that pen.

“What are you doing?” Nico asks.

“Sir, I have your morning coffee,” Will says. Nico doesn’t say anything, and Will quickly brings the coffee over, careful not to spill it. He wipes off the bottom before setting it on the coaster. From his pocket, he pulls out packets of creamer and sugar, though Nico doesn’t use any. “And your calendar for today.”

Nico’s not sure why he puts up with this every morning. He can get his own coffee, can make his own schedule. But then he’d have to fire a bunch of people from the office, and he’s not that cold-hearted. So he lets Will explain his schedule today, laying out his appointments, trying his best to ignore the uneven highlighter lines that Will’s used to make it color-coded. Will’s tie comes dangerously close to falling into Nico’s coffee as Will straightens back up.

“Thank you,” Nico says. “And, Solace, please wear shoes in the building. We’re not barbarians.”

Will looks down at his feet, looking almost surprised. “Sorry, sir.”

“And, please, refrain from buying my coffee at McDonald’s. There are better coffee places in town.” Will nods again. “You’re dismissed.” Will bumps his knee on a chair on his way out, humming as he goes. Nico sighs. Too bad that Will was actually somewhat decent at his job. If he weren’t so unprofessional and clumsy, he could almost be a businessman.

Through Nico’s small window, he can see Will sitting at his desk, legs crisscrossed as he makes his own coffee, dumping an insane amount of milk and sugar into it. If Nico were feeling less stressed and more humanitarian, he’d tell Will to try tea instead. He’s got this feeling that Will’s trying to go about proving his professionalism in all the wrong ways. Color-coding and sitting like a kindergartner wasn’t going to get him anywhere. Nico doesn’t even know why he hired Will. He must’ve had an impressive resumé.

Sighing again, he goes back to his deportation letter. It’s effective almost immediately; he’s got fourteen days to get citizenship or leave the country. Or else. He looks at the fancy stamp at the bottom of the page. Then he glances over at his desk where his own stamp sits. His is nowhere near as fancy and official. After all, this is a letter from the government. In their eyes, he’s just some illegal book editor.

There’s another knock on his door, and Nico has to resist scowling. He can frown and sneer all he wants, but he refuses to act childish. It’s Will again, and this time Nico notes that he’s completely removed his tie. At least, it’s not wrapped around his head.

“What now, Solace? Some of us have work to get done.”

“Sorry, sir. But your sister just called. She, um, wants to meet you for lunch.” Will reaches over Nico’s coffee to grab a pen, having probably forgotten about the one tucked into his hair. “She said anytime after noon works for her. Shall I pencil her in?”

Nico doesn’t mention that Will’s holding a pen or that it’s possible to remember something for the twenty seconds it’ll take Will to get back to his own desk. “Whatever, fine. Noon works. Get us a reservation at that place on Fifteenth.” He makes a shooing motion, and he thinks he might catch a slight sigh from Will. “I need my pen, Solace!”Will hurries back into the office, dropping the pen into its holder before leaving. Nico hopes he makes the reservations right. While it’s just his sister and not some fancy company representative, he still has standards. Not just any place is suitable for an enjoyable meal. That and he knows Hazel really likes that cafe.

He peers through the window again, watching now as Will carefully waters all of his plants. He’s got about five sitting on and around his desk. He had asked earlier in the year if he could move his desk to the other side of the hallway so that they got the proper amount of lighting. Nico only allows the plants because others have commented that they seem to freshen up the place. He doesn’t want to appear like a grump and a control-freak.

Somehow, Nico manages to get some work done. He reviews one of the books that needs to be sent out tomorrow. He looks over his list of books he’s still got to review. Apparently, everyone thinks that they can write a book now, so he has to divide his time between going through the books already approved for publication and books that are still trying to get the stamp of approval.

Just before noon, he passes Will’s desk on his way to lunch.

“Reservations made, sir. I got you the table by the window,” Will says. Nico nods. He can see Will’s lunchbox opened on his desk, little crumbs from his sandwich scattered across his lap.

“Thank you. Inform any visitors I’ll be back by one-thirty.” Will nods, marking something on his own calendar. Nico has no idea how Will reads that when it looks more like a coloring page than anything useful. But Will somehow manages to get his work done, so Nico doesn’t comment.

He gets to the cafe just before Hazel does. He’s got waters on the table when she walks in. Nico’s already picked out what he wants, but he gives Hazel time to peruse the menu. While he has his usuals picked out, Hazel sometimes chooses something different.

“I was a little surprised when Will said you could meet me. I was kind of thinking later this week,” she says. “But you know I love hanging out with you whenever.”

“Later this week would have worked better, but Will didn’t tell me that,” Nico says. Hazel just shrugs. She and Will have become friends since Will’s worked in Nico’s office, and she’s always telling Nico to cut him some slack. “But I’m glad we could do this today.”  
Hazel smiles. “So, anything new in your life?”

“Just the usual. Lots of reading, sorting. Today, Will came in without shoes. I don’t know how he managed it.” Hazel giggles at this.

“It’s probably more comfortable. Especially for girls who usually get stuck wearing high heels all day long.” A waiter comes by to take their orders. Nico straightens his tie. “You know, I was thinking. You work too much. Which is why you don’t have a boyfriend. No time to meet people.”

“I’m perfectly fine, Hazel,” Nico says. “I’m not going to get all lonely and whatever you think is going to happen to me.”

Hazel rolls her eyes. “For now. But you’re going to wake up one day and wish that you’d found someone and settled down or something. Dad was a great businessman, and he still had time to raise a family.”

Nico shrugs. “Sort of. Technically, he was always gone. Mama raised me. And you were already raised.”

Hazel sighs. “Well, I bet he’s glad that you exist. And that he had your mom.” Her expression softens a little as it always does whenever she brings up Nico’s mom. “And now he’s got me, too. I mean, you don’t even have friends.”

“I have co-workers and business partners,” Nico says. He knows he’s losing this battle. Hazel fixes him with a look. She takes a big breath like she’s about to give him a well-worn lecture about humans and the importance of relationships. Nico wishes their food would just arrive. He needs to get back to his office so he can figure out how to not get kicked out of the country. “And I have a boyfriend,” Nico blurts.

“Really?” Hazel says. “I mean, sorry I sound surprised.”

Nico smiles, shrugging. “I just wasn’t ready to tell you yet. We’re taking things slow, I guess.”

Hazel smiles. The food chooses to come now, and now Nico has a few moments to figure out why he blurted that out. His mind keeps going back to that deportation notice, and he knows he won’t be able to get citizenship in two weeks. But there were other ways to stay in the country, other ways that would give him time.

“What’s his name?” Hazel is asking.

“Um, Will,” Nico says, cursing that that’s the first name to pop into his head.“Will? Like the same Will you’re always complaining about?” A slow smile spreads across her face. “Is that why you’re always complaining about him? Because you don’t know how to express your affection for him? We can work on that, Nico, but it’s kind of cute, I guess.”

“Um, yes,” Nico says, still not sure how to fix this. On one hand, if Hazel thought he was dating Will, he’d stop getting lectures about being lonely and becoming a hermit. On the other, Hazel and Will actually talked unlike him and Will. “But I refuse to be considered socially awkward.”

Hazel laughs. “Well, then you should work on how you show your affection. Complaints and nagging can only get so far. Honestly, Will must be head over heels for you to put up with all that.” Nico doesn’t want to look into that comment too much. She looks at him sternly. “And you’d better step up and start being nice to him, Nico.”

Nico nods. “Yes, of course, Hazel. I’ll work on it, I promise.” He’s not sure if he’s suddenly dug himself a bigger hole. Curse that stupid letter.

The rest of their meal goes relatively well. Hazel drops the subject, moving on to talk about her own life. Nico’s chicken is cooked perfectly. On the way back to the office, he thinks about how to update Will on what’s just happened. And while he needs to get out of this mess with his sister, he really needs to get out of this mess with the government.

Will’s not at his desk when Nico gets back. There’s a blue sticky-note that says he’s gone to the vending machine. Nico huffs, jotting down his own message that Will needs to see him immediately. And then Nico goes back to trying to work.

“Um, sir? You needed to see me,” Will says, standing in the doorway.

Nico takes a deep breath, still very undecided on how to approach this. “I need you to marry me,” is what he says, and he wants to immediately crawl under his desk. He watches Will’s face carefully, not quite able to read it.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Will says. “I’m not sure that’s appropriate.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Nico says. “How about you shut the door and sit down. I’ll explain.” Will seems hesitant, but he listens. “Look, this is strictly confidential. But I’m going to be deported unless I attain a citizenship or get married. So I need someone to marry.” There are a few other options, but Nico’s already dug his grave. He might as well lie in it, too.

“And you picked me?” Will asks. He pauses. “On one hand, I’m flattered. But on the other, I’m offended.” He crosses his legs, sitting back in the chair. “So, you need my help?”

Nico nods. “Yes. And we can get divorced or even just fake the whole thing. But I just need time to work everything out.”

Will nods slowly. “Well, weddings can take a long time to plan,” he says. He smiles at Nico. “Well, fiancé, I guess we’ve got a deal.”  
-  
Nico’s not sure how many rules go into actual dating (since Hazel was all too correct about that), but there sure are a lot in fake-dating. That weekend, he and Will hole themselves in his office and try to figure this out. He’s a bit distracted that Will’s shown up in jeans and a sweatshirt instead of his usually wrinkled button-down and slacks. Currently, he’s sitting on the floor, eating pretzels as Nico makes a list.

“So, we need to try and keep this as small as possible,” Nico says. “Only people who have to know need to know.” He’s so paranoid about this. He’s hardly gotten any sleep this week, and Will’s not helping.

“But I want you to bring me flowers and stuff,” Will adds. “Because you’re always so grumpy. It’d be a nice change if you smiled or something. Also, good boyfriends bring their boyfriends stuff. And to make this believable, you’ve got to be a good boyfriend.”

Nico takes a deep breath, refusing to read that as an insult. “Why aren’t you bringing me stuff?”

“Because I’m doing this for you. So that’s my gift to you. It’s just a cute note or a flower here and there. I’m not asking for a kiss on the cheek every morning or that we make out against your desk during breaks.” Will shrugs, looking so nonchalant. Nico tugs at his collar, clearing his throat.

“Fine. I’ll be nice or whatever.” He writes that down, looking back over their list. “So, what about kissing and holding hands, though? Will people believe we’re going to get married if we don’t do that?” He doesn’t think it’d be that unpleasant to kiss Will, but he doesn’t think it’d be all that pleasant either.

“Honestly, I think you should propose to me. And then we leak the pictures or whatever to whoever needs to see them. Announce our relationship. Get the government on board. You work on your citizenship stuff, renew your card or whatever. And then we break up in some tragic fight and go back to our normal lives.” Will shoves the last few pretzels in his mouth, and Nico can’t believe he’s about to get fake-married to this guy.

“You didn’t really answer the question,” Nico sighs.

“Oh, right. Um, I guess we should kiss. Though, you’re so private and isolated that I doubt anyone will think it’s weird if we never kiss or hold hands. But you should be nicer to me in public. Because no one insults their fiancé that much.”

Nico huffs. “I’m not insulting you. I’m helping you. This is a professional office. You’ve got to be professional.”

Will just shrugs. “And you should stop calling me Solace. You don’t quite say it like a pet name.” Nico just sighs. The whole point was that it wasn’t a pet name. Why would he go around secretly calling his assistant by a pet name? “Oh, and I want you to meet my family.”

“What?” Nico’s eyebrows raise. He’d specifically underlined that they keep this under the radar. Meeting the family was definitely not a good thing if they ever wanted to dig themselves out of this later.

“Yeah,” Will says. “See, my mom would throw a fit if she heard I was getting married and didn’t even know you. Also, what kind of person marries another person and doesn’t even meet their family?”

“You’re not meeting mine,” Nico says.

Will smiles. “I know Hazel.”

Nico doesn’t want to be reminded. He’s already starting to imagine Hazel inviting them on double dates and other fun couple activities that she’s always doing with Frank. “Okay. I’ll meet your family. You only get to meet Hazel.” He doesn’t mention that his father won’t care and that his mom is dead. Two less people who have to pretend to care.

“And also we should go on dates. Because I think this is the first time I’ve actually talked to you as a person. And, honestly, it’s kind of weird.”

Nico refuses to let that be an insult. You weren’t supposed to be friendly with your assistants. You said hi to them every morning, and they provided you with coffee. It was a professional relationship. You might casually ask about their dogs or if things were going well, but you didn’t actually listen to the answer.

“I’m a professional, Solace. We don’t just sit around and make small talk.”

“Well, you should. How else is anyone going to think you’re a person?” Will’s grinning now, and Nico resists the urge to sigh again. “Besides, there’s got to be more to you than just professional book editor. And now that we’re fiancés, I want to know all about it. So, another requirement: we have to tell each other stuff. Because nothing says love like actually talking to each other.”

Nico groans. This is going to be awful. He’s not sure he can pull this off for the next few months. Nico goes over the list a few more times, making changes as he and Will work out what they’re willing to give and what they won’t compromise on. Meeting Will’s family stays, and Nico silently notes that most of the list is him doing stuff. Though he supposes this is his mess, so he should take responsibility.

“Well, fiancé, I expect to be wowed off my feet when you propose,” Will says. He winks at Nico, dusting off his jeans and throwing the empty bag in the trash. “I’m a hopeless romantic, if you didn’t know. I like to be wowed.”

Nico just nods. He’s already got so much on his plate. And now he’s got to propose to Will and plan a wedding. All while not getting kicked out of the country.  
-  
To say the least, things are the office are becoming interesting. They end up bringing each other drinks in the morning. Will brings his usual coffee, and Nico hands him a tea. He doesn’t know why he’s nervous about it, but he kind of just shoves the tea into Will’s surprised hands before heading into his own office. Will comes in for his usual morning check-in, complete with coffee and Nico’s schedule for the day.

“Hey, thanks for the tea,” Will says. “I, um, really like tea, actually.” Nico nods. If Will likes tea so much, why doesn’t he drink it?

Over the next few days, they cement their plan for what dates will be like, how they are to appear in public, in the office. Nico brings Will flowers one morning, and he swears Will blushes when he sees the pink and yellow petals. Nico’s glad Will likes them, though, because he spent over an hour at the florists the day before trying to figure out which bouquet would be appropriate for the situation.

Nico does try to be nicer, too, but sometimes he just has to snap at Will for something or other. Like the other day when Will wore brightly colored socks with tacos printed on them. Nico thought he was going to go blind just sitting at his desk as he watched Will type away on the computer. He has no idea what Will’s working so diligently on. None of his work requires that much concentration or words typed.

“So, I was thinking,” Will says. He seems nervous, and Nico’s noticed that he’s dropped the sir since they started fake-dating. “We haven’t on our first date yet. And Hazel keeps asking questions. I don’t know why she won’t just call you except maybe that she knows you’re busy. Not that I’m not also busy. But you’ve got more important work, I suppose.”

“Is that your way of asking me on a date?” Nico asks, cutting off Will’s rambling.“Yes?” Nico sighs. He’s about to ask Will to make reservations when he realizes that it’d probably not be appropriate to have your assistant make reservations for their own date.

“I’ll take care of it.” Will looks at him, seeming surprised.

“Do you know how to make reservations?” Will asks. “Or do you need the numbers?”

Nico waves him off. “No, Solace. I know how to make reservations. It’s just efficient when you do it and I don’t have to.” Will nods, smiling. Nico waits until Will’s seated at his desk before he starts looking for reservations. He’s not sure what kind of place Will would like, and he doesn’t want to come across as completely horrible. So he chooses a place that has a variety of food and calls.

He gets a bored-sounding host who takes his name and time without much bravado. Nico makes him repeat the reservation to make sure he’s got it right.“Sir, look, we don’t usually take reservations here. It’s kind of just first come, first serve. Unless you have a party of six or more.”

Nico sighs. He doesn’t know what to do, so he hangs up. He calls the next place on the list, wondering why he’s going through so much trouble for this. Eventually, he just calls up one of his favorite places, hoping Will doesn’t have any allergies or dietary restrictions. He catches Will smiling at him as he slams the phone down, penciling in the reservation.

Then he pauses. Should he go ahead and tell Will? Like walk up to his desk and say that they’ve got a date. Or should he text Will? Or call him? He scrolls through his contacts, realizing that he doesn’t have Will’s number. Embarrassed, he pages Will through the phone.

“Yes?” Will answers. He grins at Nico through the window, leaning close to the speaker.

“I’ve made a reservation for Friday at seven-thirty. Business casual. You can drive yourself there.”

Will laughs softly. “I’m wooed already.” He sees Will move his hand off the phone, and hurries to the next order of business.

“Also, I need your number. I don’t actually have it.” He tries to sound exasperated, but it’s a little hard with Will looking at him while he sounds off his digits. Nico types them into his phone, saving Will’s contact.

“You should send me a text,” Will says. Nico could swear Will’s teasing, but he sends Will a text anyway. It’s his name. And a note to get back to work. Then he hangs up, turns back to his work and ignores Will for the rest of the day.

When Friday rolls around, Nico finds himself more nervous than he should be. He’s never actually really talked to Will without some sort of barrier between them. But they’re supposed to be on a date (and not their first one), so there aren’t supposed to be those types of barriers. Like a child, he’s made a mental list of topics they could talk about. There are some things he thinks he should know about Will if they’re to make this believable.

But he also doesn’t want to come across completely helpless. He curses the fact that Hazel was right in this regard. He thinks the last date he’d been on was back in high school or college.

Will’s late as usual, and Nico’s got waters on the table. He’s picked out what he wants on the menu, and he orders a basket of bread for the table. Usually, he disapproves of such things, but he thinks Will’ll like it. Not that he really cares, but Will’s doing him a huge favor. The least he can do is provide bread.

Once Will gets there, they fall into halting conversation. Will carries most of the conversation, asking questions and being somewhat charming. The waiter seems convinced this is a date and switches out their boring carnation for a rose and lights the candle on the table.

“I think this could be good for you,” Will says. Nico looks up from his chicken, raising his eyebrows. “You know, getting out, talking to people. Hazel says you don’t do that much. And humans are social creatures, you know?”

“How often does Hazel call?”

“Every other day, I think,” Will says. Nico thinks he should get rid of Will’s phone. Maybe Nico will have to take his own calls, but it might be worth it if she stops calling Will. “I think it’s nice your sister is looking out for you. My sister was excited I had a boyfriend, too. She’s been saying that I need to step back into the dating game, but I’ve been busy, you know?”

Will rambles on, and Nico tries to listen to most of it. Will asks him questions every now and then, and Nico hears himself answering them. He knows he should be paying attention, but he can’t help but feel like he’s getting into something entirely different than he thought.

The waiter asks if they want to peruse the dessert menu, and Nico shakes his head. Will pouts, saying it’s a super couple-y thing to split dessert, but Nico refuses. Not all couples share dessert. Some don’t even get dessert. Nico takes care of the bill, walking awkwardly beside Will on the way out.

“I had a nice time,” Will says. He sounds genuine, and Nico wonders if he’s just embracing this whole fake-dating thing. Or if he’s just enjoying it because humans are sociable creatures and Will’s been too busy for that lately.  
-  
“Remind me again why we’re doing this?” Nico asks. He’s gripping the armrests not because he’s terrified of flying but because he’s stressed out over meeting Will’s family. He cannot believe that he’s just canceled on a bunch of clients because he has to go and meet his fake-fiancé’s family.

“Because you love me,” Will says, smirking. “And also because it was part of the agreement.”Nico sighs. Will’s claimed the window seat, so Nico’s stuck in the middle, a middle-aged man on his other side. He spends the entire flight ignoring the fact that he has to pee and telling himself that he’d rather be on a plane to Texas rather than Italy. Will falls asleep, and Nico thinks that’s a perfectly good waste of a window seat, but at least Will’s head isn’t on his shoulder like those cliché movies.

Nico’s not prepared for the welcome at the airport, Will’s parents' continual glances at him. Will takes hold of his hand, and Nico resists jerking away. They hadn’t talked about this, but Nico trusts that Will’s just doing it to convince his parents.

“Mom, Dad, this is Nico,” Will says. “Nico, meet Mom and Dad.”

Nico gives an awkward wave before getting enveloped in a hug from Mrs. Solace. She smiles at him, seeming to believe Will. The ride to the house is a little awkward as Nico’s not sure what to say, and Will doesn’t provide any tips. He just smiles at everyone and stares out the window.

Will hesitates on the driveway while Will’s parents take their luggage in. “So, I think my mom told other people that we’re dating, so we’re just going to have to play this by ear.” Nico nods slowly. He knew this was a bad idea to tell Will’s family. From what he’s heard, Will’s family is a bit extensive, and he knew word could travel fast.

“Like who all?” Nico asks.

“Maybe just a few cousins. And then my siblings. Um, maybe all four of them.” Nico sighs, resisting the urge to facepalm.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he says. Will nods. He takes Nico’s hand again, stepping into the house. Nico’s greeted with a group of smiling faces and lots of blond hair. He can tell right away which are Will’s siblings and which must be cousins.

“I want to see the ring,” a girl’s voice calls out. “Will! You’re such a jerk not telling us about your handsome boyfriend!” A girl with brown hair and green tips appears in front of them, punching Will’s shoulder. Will winces a bit, pouting. Nico thinks he deserved that.

“I’ve been busy,” Will says. “Anyway, this is Nico. Nico, this is Kayla.”

Kayla smiles at him, grabbing their conjoined hands to see the ring. “Nice. I bet it’s even nicer than Lee’s.” She grins at Nico before dashing into the kitchen. Will pushes forward, dragging Nico with him. They make it to the living room before being bombarded with the rest of Will’s family. There are Will’s brothers: Lee, Michael, and Austin. And then there are cousins that Nico can’t even bother to remember.

“Mama’s got you set upstairs,” one of Will’s brothers says. “And congrats, little bro.” Will blushes, and Nico thinks maybe Will should have been an actor with the performance he’s putting on.

“So, how’d he propose?” Kayla asks, joining them again with food. Nico hopes he doesn’t look too horrified the way everyone just makes a grab at it, Kayla shrieking as she tries to defend her chips. “Get your own, heathens!”

After things have calmed down a bit, Will takes Nico’s hand gently and tells the story of the engagement. “It wasn’t anything fancy, you know, but it was still special. He took me out to this restaurant where we had our first date. And I wasn’t really expecting it, you know? Because it’s not a super fancy place, just kind of nice. And then Nico orders dessert, something he never does. I want to ask, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise. If there is one,” Will says. He takes a deep breath before continuing.

“Because we’ve been dating for a while but not that long, really. But love is love, you know?” He squeezes Nico’s hand at this, smiling at him. Nico almost believes him. “But there isn’t a ring in the dessert. It’s just a perfectly good piece of chocolate cake. He suggests we go for a little walk since it’s a nice night, though, so I haven’t given up hope yet. And then this street performer starts singing my favorite song as we pass by. And that’s when Nico proposes.”

There’s a chorus of awws as Will finishes up the story. It’s embellished a bit, but it’s pretty close to the actual thing. Nico smiles, kind of proud of himself. Will had almost cried, probably because he was just as much of a hopeless romantic as he’d said he was, and everyone on the street was clapping and taking pictures. Nico isn’t going to admit that he had googled ideas for three hours.

“Where did you find the ring?” someone asks.

Nico blinks, pausing. “It was my mom’s,” he says easily. Another chorus of cooing goes around, and Will glances at Nico before glancing at the ring on his finger. It’s true, the ring was Nico’s mom’s. He figured that he could get it back after all of this, and he knows somehow that Will’ll take good care of it for now.

“Tell us about the wedding. Have you started planning it yet?” pipes up another voice. Will laughs.

“We haven’t really planned too much yet. Still trying to figure out the colors and a date, you know. We’re thinking about a spring wedding.” Will smiles, easily answering and deflecting his family’s questions while Nico just sits there. People move in and out of the room, grabbing food, heading upstairs. There’s a constant flurry of movement, and yet everyone seems to know where everyone else is.

“Okay, guys. Let’s let them rest a bit. They just got here, you know,” Lee (maybe) says.

Nico takes that moment to pull Will up and up the stairs. He pauses on the landing, not sure which room to go into. Will smiles, pointing down the hall. “My room’s here. And, um, since everyone else is kind of staying over as well, we’re probably going to have to share. But I can sleep on the floor if you want.”

Nico doesn’t understand the problem until he steps into the room. It’s not a small room, but it’s definitely cosy. The bed is pushed against the wall, books are stacked neatly everywhere. Plants line the windowsill, obviously taken care of despite the fact that Nico’s pretty sure Will hardly makes the trip out here.

“It’s not too bad. You’ve got a queen-sized bed.” They unpack a little and avoid the conversation that they’ll have to have tonight. About whether or not Will’s really going to sleep on the floor. And if that’s going to be too weird. The whole thing is kind of weird, just being here. How much he didn’t feel as out of place as he’d thought he’d be with Will’s family.

During dinner, they’d all included him in the conversation. There are questions about their relationship, but Nico figures that’s just natural. Especially since they’re meeting Nico as Will’s boyfriend and fiancé at once. After dinner, they manage to stay up for another hour or so before heading upstairs.

“So,” Will says, standing in front of the bed. Nico almost laughs at how he looks, standing there with his hands on his hips, head tilted. “We could make a pillow barrier. I’m, uh, told that I get a bit cuddly at night. And I’ll take the wall side.”

Nico nods. They take turns changing clothes and getting ready. Nico wonders if this is why so many people take relationships slowly. So they don’t go from their first date to announcing their engagement to meeting the parents to sharing a bed. Although, he supposes, most would have shared a bed before even thinking about getting married. They’re just doing everything backward.

Will apparently sleeps in shorts and a sweatshirt. And socks. Nico raises his eyebrows at this, a little weirded out. He sleeps in sleep pants and a T-shirt like a normal person.

“My feet get cold,” Will huffs. He crawls under the covers, setting two pillows between them. To Nico, it doesn’t look very sturdy, but he’s not going to complain. He just hopes Will doesn’t snore. Will seems to drop off to sleep almost immediately like having a stranger in the bed doesn’t bother him. Nico eventually falls asleep to the sound of Will’s even breaths.  
-  
Since Will’s apparently banned from cooking in the kitchen, Nico and Will are sent to walk around the town. Will bundles up more than Nico thinks necessary considering that it’s nowhere near as cold as it is at home. Will takes him around to different places that he thinks Nico will like, and Nico’s surprised when he does like them. It seems that Will’s more attentive than Nico is.

“So, how’d you get banned from the kitchen anyhow?” Nico asks.

“I kind of almost burned it down,” Will says. He laughs. “It’s a pretty good story in retrospect. So, I wanted some cookies, you know? And I consider myself mature and intelligent, so I thought I could make some cookies. Mama has the best recipe. I know you’ll love them. Anyway, so I get the dough and put it in the oven. But our oven was broken at that time and the timer didn’t work. So I made an alarm on my phone.”

“Let me guess, you fell asleep.”

“No,” Will protests. “I actually kind of forgot what the alarm was for. It went off while I was outside, and I just turned it off. So the cookies burnt, and the fire alarm went off. And Mama was very upset about the whole thing. We had to get a new oven.”

“Well, you’re not supposed to leave the oven unattended, Solace. Even if the oven had been working, you wouldn’t have heard the timer.”

“It was a mistake. And I’m sure you’re so great at cooking, though, right?” Will asks.

“I’m perfectly amazing at cooking,” Nico says. “How long ago did this happen anyway?”

Will blushes. “Maybe three years ago? I don’t really do a lot of cooking. I’ve made food before, but when you live by yourself, it kind of seems like a waste.” He shrugs.

For lunch, they stop along the river at this little Tex-Mex place. Will rambles about the food here, saying he hasn’t had a real taco in forever. Nico’s not sure what counts as a real taco, but he’s interested in finding out. Their waitress comes by, and Will tenses.

“Will? Is that you?” the girl asks. “Oh my gods, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you!” She eyes Nico before looking back at Will. “And you’re dating boys now. I guess that’s why we never worked out, huh?” She gives them a big smile before taking their orders.

Will takes a long sip of his water before groaning. “This is why I don’t come home,” he mumbles.

“I guess I never actually asked if you were gay,” Nico says, realizing that maybe Will was mildly uncomfortable to be pretending to date a guy when he wasn’t actually attracted to guys.

“I’m bi,” Will says. “And the reason she and I never worked out was that she liked her other boyfriend way more than me. I wasn’t exactly as awesome then as I am now.”

“Right,” Nico says. “But this is okay?”

Will nods. “Yeah. I realized I liked guys, too, in college. And my family is cool with it. Honestly, they’re just happy I finally brought someone home.”

Nico smiles. The girl comes back with their food, and Will becomes way too interested in his tacos. Nico throws a glare the girl’s way. While Will was many things, he didn’t deserve to be cheated on. Even if he was currently shoving an entire taco into his mouth.

“Oh, Will,” the girl says, coming back once more with extra napkins. “I haven’t seen your book anywhere. Is it not selling well?”

Will chokes on his food for a moment, and Nico decides he hates this girl. “Um, it’s not selling at all? Because it’s not published? Because I haven’t actually finished it yet?” Will says. He drains his water, and the waitress casually fills it back up.

“That’s too bad it never worked out,” she says, and Will winces like he’s heard those words before. Nico wonders when he got so good at reading Will’s expressions. “Well, not everyone’s cut out for authorship. Have a nice day.” She hands them the check and Will fumbles for his wallet.

“If I knew she was going to be here, I’d have taken you to a different taco place. There are three more on this river alone.”

“What did she mean by book?” Nico asks. He’s always wondered why Will puts up with him. Is he hoping it’ll be a foot in the door for his own book.

“It’s nothing,” Will says, waving him off. “She was right about that part.” He offers Nico a smile, but it seems forced. Not even the polite smile Will slaps on for the biggest clients, something just a step or two down from that.

They spend the rest of the afternoon just walking around downtown. Sometime during their window-shopping, Will slips his hand into Nico’s. Nico finds he doesn’t mind.

The Solace house is bursting when they get back. Food is appearing from everywhere, and Nico wonders where everyone’s supposed to sit because the table is so full. Will laughs when Nico points this out. He shows him the patio and large backyard where someone has decorated it with little turkeys and leaves and pumpkins.

They all go around the table, saying what they’re thankful for. When it gets to Nico, he pauses for a moment, not sure what to say. He knows he has many things to be thankful for, and he’s thankful for all of them. But they just all seem to pale in comparison to whatever is happening right now. He’s not sure why, but being here feels like a completely different world.

“Um, family?” Nico says. Will squeezes his hand, smiling.

“I’m thankful for Nico.” This is followed by the usual chorus, and Nico blushes. Will’s cheeks are also pink now, and Nico’s a little disappointed when Will lets go of his hand to eat. There is more conversation, more questions about their relationship, their wedding. But there are also long, comfortable silences where everyone is just eating or taking it all in.

“You have to save room for Mama’s pies,” Will whispers. Nico thinks he falls in love when he tastes Naomi Solace’s pumpkin pie. Until right at this moment, he’s never really cared about where he gets his pumpkin pie. Now he does. Will somehow fits two slices in, and Nico’s struggling to manage one. If he’d known it was this good, he’d have skipped the main meal. He can’t believe Will’s sparked such irresponsible thoughts.

That night, they forgo the pillow barrier. It hadn’t worked last night, and Nico thinks they’ll be okay. He doesn’t say that he secretly liked the way it felt to wake up in Will’s embrace. He’d thought he’d be creeped out or just kind of awkward about it, but he’d been disappointed when Will had apologized and turned over.

They settle into bed, Will smiling sleepily at Nico, his eyes closed. Nico smiles then, thinking that Will makes him think of summer with his blond hair and blue eyes. And that he’s much too charming to be trapped underneath a business suit. Maybe that’s why Will never quite perfectly fit into the office lifestyle. But did that mean Nico was boring? Did Will find him boring?

“Sleep,” Will mumbles. “Think later.” Nico pulls the blankets up more, trying to turn off his thoughts. He’s not sure how much longer he can do this. “Goodnight, Nico.”

It’s quiet and barely there, but Nico feels something warm settle over him. He’s pretty sure it’s the first time Will’s ever called him by his name. So far, he’d gotten by with calling Nico sir or his fiancé. The only time he’d said it was during introductions, but that had nothing on how Will had just said it.

Again, Nico wonders if he’s really aware of what he’s getting himself into. He’s just fake-dating/marrying Will so that he won’t be deported. And Will’s just helping him. But that doesn’t explain the way Will’s smile seems to grow when Nico looks at him, or the warmth that fills Nico whenever Will holds his hand, or the growing urge to kiss Will. Because if it’s all fake, why do these feelings feel so real?  
-  
Nico’s more than relieved when they fly home. After four days of sleeping in the same bed as Will, of pretending that he didn’t care about Will as much as he did, he needs some time to get ahold of himself. Will, for his part, seems not to notice this as he just waves and says he’ll see Nico tomorrow.

For the most part, it seems that things go back to normal. They’re back to the sticky-notes and showing up with hot drinks for each other part of their relationship, and Nico can do that. He knows how to act when there’s a wall between them, when all he has to do is pretend to be working so that he won’t have to make eye contact with Will through their window.

Nico has lunch with Hazel where he catches her up on everything that happened over Thanksgiving. Hazel grins, looking so happy for him. He almost wants to tell her that it’s fake just so he won’t feel so guilty for lying. He finds it almost ironic how he’s lying to everyone. He’s lying to Hazel, to Will, to himself. He’s in a fake relationship with someone he thinks he’s actually starting to fall for.

“You should invite him over for Christmas,” Hazel says. “He can come to our white elephant party.”

Nico smiles, nodding. “Sure, I’ll ask him.”

He knows he’s supposed to be spending all of this time figuring out how to secure his life in the US, but right now that doesn’t feel as important. What feels more important is knowing if Will likes him back. And Nico feels so childish and scared.

“Nico, hey, is everything okay?” Hazel asks. “You and Will aren’t having problems, are you?”

Nico shakes his head. “No, we’re perfectly fine. Just a lot of stuff at work. With the holidays and all, you know?”

Hazel smiles. “Don’t work too hard, okay? Don’t forget to eat and sleep. And go on fun dates with Will.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “Yeah, okay. I know.” Hazel kisses his cheek.

Later, Nico finds himself looking up how to tell if a guy likes you. While he still can’t tell if Will likes him back, he knows that he’s definitely falling for Will. He hastily exits out of the tab and clears his history when he hears a knock on his door.

“Hey,” Will says. “I brought you dinner. I didn’t your name on anything in the fridge.”

“Oh, thanks,” Nico says. He’d been planning on heading home a whole hour earlier, but he’d gotten distracted. He has so much work to do, and he’s over here worried if some guy likes him back. “Um, do you want to eat in here? With me?”

Will smiles, taking a seat. “Don’t mind if I do.” He hands Nico what looks to be lasagna. “Thought I’d shake things up a bit. You always seem to eat chicken.”

Nico pouts. “I like chicken.”“Well, I bet you like pasta, too.”

Nico smiles. He loves pasta, but pasta always reminded him of his mom. He takes a few bites, trying to be polite. He knows Will put thought into this, bringing him food and everything. But eating pasta makes him think of his mom and Italy and everything he left behind, everything he tried to get away from.“Hey, Nico,” Will says softly. “Do you not like pasta? I got a salad. We can trade. It won’t hurt my feelings.” He feels Will’s thump swipe gently across his cheeks, and he realizes he’s crying. Quietly, Will shuts the office door before pulling his chair closer to Nico. “What’s wrong?”

Nico’s not sure how to tell Will about his mom and why he most definitely can’t go back to Italy. And all because of pasta. So he just word vomits, not sure if Will can even understand a word. Somewhere in all of that mess, Will lowers them to the floor where Nico just sags against Will’s chest, crying. He feels so exhausted.

“I bet your mom was a lovely person,” Will whispers. And it’s so different from all of the ‘I’m sorry’s’ that Nico dissolves into fresh tears. Conversation blur, and then Will’s taking Nico home. He waits while Nico composes himself, taking a long shower and changing into comfy clothes.

Will smiles when he comes out. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in sweatpants before. I like it.”

They end up eating bagel bites on the couch, Nico every bit aware of how close he and Will are sitting. Will’s still in his work clothes from the day, but Nico’s too tired to handle seeing Will in his own clothes. Will’s arm is draped around Nico’s back, and Nico’s head rests comfortably on Will’s shoulder.

“I, um, I just feel like I should tell you,” Will says. “That I am writing a book. But I’ve been stuck for about a year or so. And I’m kind of thinking of just scrapping the whole thing. Because it’s boring, and I’m pretty sure no one’s going to publish it.”

Nico shifts so he can look at Will. “I’d publish it. Well, maybe after editing the heck out of it. But I’d publish it.”

Will shakes his head. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want my book out there just because we’re dating. Favoritism is not professional.” He says it in a teasing way, and Nico doesn’t correct him that they’re only fake-dating.

“How about I help you write it, then?” Nico asks. “And then when it’s written, I’ll help you find editors and publishers.”

Will smiles. “I’d like that.”

They don’t talk for the rest of the night. Somewhere in between agreeing to help Will with his book and falling asleep in Will’s arms, they trade soft kisses and giggles, getting tangled up in the blanket and having to pause to pee. And it’s stuff Nico’s read about in books but he’s never experienced. And now that he’s had a taste of it, he’s addicted. He just hopes that Will doesn’t regret it either.  
-  
They don’t talk about what happened, and that somehow makes it worse. Nico doesn’t know if Will hasn’t said anything because he regrets it or because he thinks Nico regretted it or because it just didn’t mean anything to him. Instead, they talk about Will’s book and reworking Nico’s schedule to make deadlines that are coming up fast.

Nico’s so stressed out that he almost doesn’t have time to worry about being kicked out of the country. He keeps getting notes, and he knows soon they’ll just come knocking on his door. But he’s hoping he still has time. Because he doesn’t want to just drop everything and leave.

“Just talk to him, Nico,” Hazel says. “I think you might be surprised at how well things turn out.”

“What do you mean? Have you been talking to him? Did he say something to you?” Nico can’t believe that just a month ago, he was composed and poised. Now, he was falling apart just because Will had actually come into today wearing a tie.

“Geez, Nico. Calm down. Look, this is all I’m going to say. You two are grown men, so you need to talk to each other. Clearly, there’s something going on. And if you want to know what it is, you’re going to have to ask.”

Nico huffs. “Fine.” It occurs to him only after he hangs up that he never told Hazel that his and Will’s relationship is fake. But he takes her advice, coming into the office on Tuesday, ready to just march up to Will’s desk and demand an explanation. While Will makes him feel gooey inside, he’s sure he can conjure up that earlier professionalism.

Too bad Will throws him off.

“We need to talk, Solace,” Nico says. Will just nods slowly.

“I was thinking the same thing. Care to join me for dinner?” He hands Nico a blue sticky-note complete with an address and time. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Nico nods, quickly hurrying into his office. He’s too busy trying not to freak out to think about checking to see if this is some sort of prank that Will’s playing.  
Nico make sure to get to the restaurant early so that he can scope out the place. He doesn’t recognize the address, but he knows the area. He gives his name, and he’s shown to a booth in the back. Where Will is already sitting. With two glasses of water and a basket of bread on the table. Nico’s knees almost give out.

“Hi,” Will says. “I somehow convinced myself you wouldn’t come.”

“Well, we need to talk,” Nico says. He’s about to say more when Will holds up a finger. A waitress comes by, and Nico realizes that he doesn’t have a menu. He’s about to ask for one when she sets two slices of chocolate cake on the table and leaves.

“Nico,” Will says, and there’s something in his voice that makes Nico forget about his earlier stress. “I know we didn’t start this out like it meant anything, and I was okay with that. But somewhere along the way, that changed. And now it does matter. Because I don’t know if it’s your laugh or how you still haven’t called me Will, but I’m falling for you, Nico. For real.”

He pauses, looking down at his lap for a moment. “And I want to be clear about that. Because if you don’t really like me back, it’ll be okay. But I think that you should find someone else to fake-marry. Everyday I find another thing that I like about you, and I can’t keep doing this if you feel differently.”

Will takes a deep breath then, shoving a bite of cake into his mouth. Nico would have laughed if he wasn’t so surprised.

“Please tell me you didn’t hide my mother’s ring in this cake,” he says. Will blinks, clearly not expecting that.

“Um, no. It’s not in the cake. But that doesn’t exactly answer the question.”

Nico takes a deep breath. “I really like you, too, Will.” On the last word, Will literally bursts into tears, and Nico wonders if he said the wrong thing. He wipes his nose on his napkin, requesting extras when the waitress comes by to see what’s happening. “Do you want to date me for real?”

Will nods feverishly, turning away slightly to blow his nose. Nico rolls his eyes at how crazy this whole thing is. Eventually, Will calms down enough to take another bite of cake. He takes three more bites before Nico asks what it’s for.

“Oh, I wasn’t sure how tonight was going to go, and I really wanted to try the cake here. So I got it first.” He pauses. “I actually chose this place because they’re known for their chicken.” Nico can see him flush in the dim lighting.

Nico smiles. “Would you actually mind too much if I said I was in the mood for tacos?”

Will grins. “I happen to know the perfect place. But first I want to eat my cake.” Nico laughs, reaching over to grab Will by his tie, gently pulling him into a kiss. “Oh, and by the way, Hazel knows about this whole thing.” Nico pulls back, starting to protest. But Will cups his face, nibbling on his bottom lip, and Nico realizes he’s got time later to worry about that.


	23. proud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will just wants his dad to be proud of him.

Nico sighs when he enters the school. It’s not that he dislikes school (he actually really likes school), but he could do without all of the people who couldn’t care less about being here. People like Octavian and Bryce who seemed to only get joy from others’ misery. He can hear them now picking on some poor kid who thought wearing a cowboy hat to school would be a good idea. Nico would help, but he’s not really in the mood to offer himself up as the next victim.

On the opposite end of Bryce and Octavian were people like Will Solace. People who still didn’t care about school, but they were nice about it. They breezed through their classes and didn’t taunt the students or teachers. They were popular and friendly but way too cool to ever care about someone like Nico. Outside of the bathrooms, Will’s leaning against the lockers, a leather jacket over a blue shirt. There’s a rip in the knee of his jeans, and Nico thinks he could be on the cover of a magazine.Instead of smiling back at Will, he glares. Will’s sunny smile falters for a moment, but Nico’s already moving down the hallway. He doesn’t like people who can make straight A’s without having to study. He also doesn’t like how Will’s a nerd, but no one cares because he’s also friends with the captain of the swim team and the quarterback and can hold his own in any sports PE throws their way.

The bell rings through the halls, and Nico ducks inside the classroom just in time to avoid getting run over. He’s getting his stuff out when Will walks through the door, laughing at something Jason’s said. Nico can feel Will’s eyes on him, probably mentally calculating how much black he’s wearing today. It’s not that Nico’s trying to be emo, but he just likes black. It’s a good color, and he thinks he looks good in it.

“May I borrow a pencil?” Will asks. It takes Nico a few moments to realize that Will’s asking him. He glances up, almost knocking his head on Will’s chin.

“Um, sure,” he says. He doesn’t point out that Will always uses a pen (when he does take notes), and he can see three of them tucked safely in Will’s backpack. He hands Will a pencil, flattening his expression as Will grins, winking over his shoulder.

“Thanks, man.”

Nico turns back to his desk, sharpening his pencils as the teacher walks in. She takes the roll before launching into a presentation on microbes. Nico’s pencil is flying across the page as he tries to keep up with the slides. When the teacher pauses to take a drink of water, Nico glances over at Will’s paper. He’s used the pencil, but Nico can see he hasn’t taken a single note. Instead, he’s doodled a dragon attacking a castle and a poor knight fleeing.

If Nico weren’t so surprised that Will could draw, he’d probably have been upset that Will wasn’t even trying in this class. And yet he knew that Will had scored a 110% (gotta love those extra credit questions) on the last test they’d had. And he’d only gotten a 93%. He peels his eyes away as Will leans over his notebook as the teacher walks down the aisles, handing out a worksheet. She pauses in front of Will’s desk, but she doesn’t say anything.

Will hands Nico a copy of the worksheet, still smiling. Nico glares back. He isn’t sure if it’s because Will gets good grades or because he’s popular or because he’s so darn handsome that he can get away with not paying attention in class. But Nico doesn’t care, so he looks at the worksheet and tries to remember what the teacher has just said. He doesn’t care that Will’s just turned his own worksheet into a paper airplane, sending it flying towards the trash can.

“Solace, if you can’t behave in my class, you’ll have to spend some time in the principal’s office.” She bends over, unfolding his worksheet. Nico doesn’t have to see it to know that it’s already completed. By the time he’s pulled his eyes away from the teacher’s surprised expression, Will’s already standing up.

“Thanks for the lesson. Since I’m finished, I think I’ll just leave early.” He swings his backpack over his shoulder and just leaves. Nico feels like he should be surprised, but he’s not. While he’s never seen Will just walk out of class before, he knows the teacher’s not going to report it. And he knows Will’s still going to ace the next test.

He also knows that he hates Will Solace.  
-  
Will sits at the kitchen table, his sister trying to diffuse the tension by rambling on about her English teacher. Will can tell his dad isn’t listening. And he knows his mom is planning out what she wants to say. For his part, he shoves a bite of chicken into his mouth. His sister takes a breath, and his dad takes the chance.

“I signed you up for that college tour we talked about.”

Will’s glad his mouth is full because he has time to not say what just came to mind. His sister glances at him before shoving a bite of green beans into her own mouth. Will chews, swallows.

“When is it?” Will asks.

“Next weekend. I thought we could drive up there on Friday and spend the night, get to know the area a bit.” Will shoves another bite into his mouth while his dad is talking, and he takes his time chewing it. He hates these talks about college, his father going from subtly hinting to overtly pushing. He glances at his mom.

“I think it could be fun,” she says. “And you don’t have to go there, but it’s important to visit several colleges before applying. You can still get a feel for what the campus is like.” She offers him a smile that means that they’ll be talking later. And she’ll say that Will can go where he wants, for what he wants, that she’ll talk to his dad.

“But applications are due soon, and you’ve been putting this off too long,” his dad pushes. Will resists huffing and crossing his arms. If his dad knows he’s been putting this off, he shouldn’t be pushing so hard. But he can’t act childish about this or his dad will push even harder.

“I really liked-“ Will starts, but his dad cuts him off.

“It’s okay to like more than one school, but you should spread out your chances. Like your counselor said. You need both comfort schools and reach schools.”

Will nods, knowing it’s not worth it to fight back. His dad was bent on him going to the big state school that has an internationally recognized medical program. Not taking into account that Will hasn’t been interested in being a doctor since he was eight. Will’s never told him what he really wants to do, already knowing that his dad would probably frown upon it.

He also doesn’t mention that his counselor hasn’t actually ever gone to college. The closet his counselor had gotten to going to college was helping other people fill out their college applications. Will didn’t like dissing teachers (his elementary teacher mom had raised him right), but he didn’t like it when teachers pretended to know more than they did.

Will manages to get through dinner without bursting. His sister volunteers to do the dishes to let Will slip away and decompress. Up until junior year, he and his dad had never really clashed heads. They were usually on the same side, ganging up against his mom in matters. Now, Will found himself relying on his mom to try and even things out. He didn’t want to dedicate ten years of school to a degree he never wanted.

A knock on his door breaks Will from his thoughts. He quickly throws a dirty shirt over his sketchbook as his mom comes in. She smiles at him, handing him a cookie. He takes it, clearing off his desk chair so she can sit down.

“I don’t want to be a doctor,” Will whispers. His mom nods, absently folding some of his clothes. He panics for a moment as his mom hovers over his dirty shirt. But she glances up at him, setting a pile of clothes on his bed.

“Will, I want you to be whatever you want to be,” she says. She smiles at him, taking his shaking hands. He knows how much choice means to her. Her own parents had frowned upon her wanting to be a teacher, but Will has seen firsthand how much she inspires her students. He can’t imagine her loving any other job more than teaching. “I think you should tell your dad. He just wants what he feels is best for you.”

“I know, Mama. But he also wants me to be a doctor. How am I supposed to tell him I don’t want to follow in Michael’s footsteps?”

His mom smiles at him. “What do you want to do?”

Will hesitates. He’s had this conversation with his mom at least a hundred times in his head, but he’s never said it out loud. He’s always diligently studied behind closed doors, keeping his biology and chemistry textbooks out on his desk while everything else was pushed underneath his bed.

“I want to be an illustrator,” he breathes. “Like for books or comics or whatever.” He lets out a long breath, relieved to finally have said it out loud.

They sit in silence for a bit, his mom straightening out things on his desk. He knows she’s not avoiding the topic, but it still makes him nervous that she’s not speaking. He almost wishes that his older brother had chosen a less academic path so that he wouldn’t have this pressure, but he knows that Michael’s going to be a great doctor.

“I want to ask to see your sketchbook,” his mom says after a moment, “but I’m not sure if that’s intrusive.”

Will feels himself smiling, feels almost like laughing. “It’s not intrusive. But I’m not ready yet for you to see. I just- I’m working on something. And it’s not finished yet. But I think that’ll be the thing I want you to see.”

His mom nods, kissing his cheek. “You don’t have to prove yourself to me, Will. I already know it’ll be great.” She smiles at him, folding the rest of his laundry, eyes glancing over the sketchbook shoved underneath his desk. Will tenses when she picks it up, but she merely slides it into his hands. “You’re my son, and I will always support you. And if this is what makes you happy, I want to help make it happen.”

“So you’ll talk to Dad?” Will asks.

“I’ll talk to him, but I want you to talk to him, too.” She pauses. “We have to stand up for our dreams because no one else is going to care as much as we do that they happen.”Will nods. He fingers the worn edges of his sketchbook, smiling at his mom. He’s so relieved to hear that she supports him. He knows that all his dad might see when Will tells him is the stereotype of the starving artist. He’d listened to his parents’ ideas about college and had gone the business route. And while he found a love for it, Will didn’t want to wait for him to suddenly love what he was doing.

“I’ll talk to him,” Will says softly. “Do you think he’ll hate me?”

“Of course not, sweetie. He might take some time to come around, but he’ll never love you less just because you aren’t a doctor.”

His mom kisses his forehead, patting the pile of clothes. “Don’t stay up too late, okay? And put these clothes away. They’ll stay cleaner if you don’t throw them on the floor.”

Will nods. When his mom is gone, he locks his door and pulls out his drawing pencils. Then he gets to work.  
-  
Nico’s sitting in his English class when Will pokes his head in. He pretends not to notice as he revises the second paragraph of his paper. They’re supposed to be peer editing right now, but Nico had somehow ended up without a partner even though there was an even number in attendance today.

The teacher doesn’t look as surprised as Nico thought she would. Instead, she kind of sighs, stepping into the hallway. Nico can see them through the window, his teacher looking a bit put off as Will talks to her. He looks as he always does, well put together and rough at the same time. His hair is a mess of curls, and there’s another rip along his jeans. He’s wearing his leather jacket again today.

Nico can’t hear what they’re saying out there, though he’d be lying if he said he isn’t intrigued. The teacher still looks unimpressed, and Will’s hands are flying as he speaks. That’s one thing Nico does like about Will Solace, how expressive he is. He doesn’t care about bottling things up and looking he doesn’t care. If he doesn’t care, he doesn’t care. And everyone will know it.

Eventually, the teacher steps back into the room, giving everyone a tight smile. When Nico stands up to ask if he can print his paper, the teacher slides a note across his desk.“I’m not sure if this is something you’d be interested in, but you’re a very good writer.”

Nico waits until he’s in the hallway to read the note. He recognizes Will’s awful handwriting from years of them being in the same class. It looks similar to that of a third grader’s. He’s not expecting what’s written on the scrap of paper. It’s made out to look like a contract, complete with a spot for Nico to sign at the bottom. Will’s number is included at the top.

He has to read it a few times to make himself believe that this isn’t a prank. Sure, he’s a good writer. He really likes English, and he worked hard to be good at it. But he’s not sure how Will Solace would know any of this. Will who barely pays attention to anyone else in the world unless he wants to be a part of it.

Nico folds the paper carefully, slipping it into his pocket. He’s not sure he wants to sign a contract with Will Solace of all people, but he has to admit that he’s intrigued. He’s seen Will’s doodles, peeking out of all of his notebooks. He’s pretty sure he’s seen more doodles than notes or homework, and that’s the part that frustrates him. If he agrees to this, he’ll have to find some way to put up with Will.

He doesn’t think about it for much longer, pushing it to the back of his mind. In fact, he forgets all about it until Will catches him heading home.“Hey, di Angelo!” Nico groans, turning around to level him with a stare. Will seems unaffected, still smiling. “Did you get my note?”

“What of it?” Nico asks. He doesn’t have time to talk to Will right now. It’s not that he has pressing homework or even a curfew, but he’s just now sure where all of this is going.

“Did you read it? I’m not an expert on contracts, but I think it was pretty good.” He’s leaning closer now, but Nico doesn’t feel like Will’s crowding or hovering. Even if he’s almost half a foot taller than Nico.

“I read it, but I’m not interested in showcasing my work,” Nico says. He writes for himself. He doesn’t write to entertain others.

“Please?” Will asks. “Just this once? I know I could ask other people, but I really want it to be you.”

Nico snaps his head up, looking Will right in the eyes. “Why me?”

Will’s cheeks take on a light pink color, and Nico has to wonder if Will Solace is actually blushing. He’s never seen Will blush, always trying to act cool. Or when he’s acting wild, he always seems in control. This blush feels unexpected. “I saw your short story thing that you published last year, and that’s kind of what I’m looking for. That feeling, you know?”

“Well, I’m not interested.”

Will pouts. “Please? I don’t want to just make a picture book.” He sounds almost desperate, and Nico’s growing tired of this conversation. “I mean, I could, but it wouldn’t be the same.”“There are a million other people who can write. Just ask one of them.” He’s not sure why Will cares so much about this. It’s not like he cared so much about anything else. He skipped classes and threw mini-parties on the courtyard during lunch sometimes. He was bright and sunny and popular and got away with everything.

“I am asking one. You, Nico.” He actually does get down on his knees, clasping his hands together. Nico thinks he looks ridiculous. “Please, please, please? This is important to me. And I promise we can work around your schedule. We can alter the contract even.”

Nico sighs, wondering if it’s Will’s blue eyes or if he’s just worn Nico down. “Fine. We can talk about this later, though. I’ve got homework to do.”

Will grins. “You’re a lifesaver, di Angelo.” He winks at Nico, getting up, and striding off. “Text me,” he calls over his shoulder.

Nico does his best to ignore the stares that follow. He’s already regretting saying yes.  
-  
“You’ve been doing very well in school,” his dad says, and Will nods. He gets good grades despite not really caring about his classes. He wishes the teachers wouldn’t teach straight from the textbook. It’s already required reading, and the lessons don’t deviate much. So there’s not much point in attending class save for failing because of attendance.

“In fact, if you dropped the gangster look, you’d be all set,” he continues. Will shrugs. He’d started the whole ‘bad boy’ thing in middle school when Michael first got into looking at colleges. Their dad had started dropping hints that Will should be looking up to his older brother, watching what colleges he looked at, what majors he considered. When Michael announced that he wanted to be a doctor his sophomore year, their father was ecstatic.

Will hated being compared to his older brother. He loves Michael, but he has seen firsthand how much Michael works for his grades. So he decided to be the opposite. He stopped going to class, stopped doing the homework. Then he realized that he couldn’t get into college at all if he didn’t pull his grades back up.  
He’d always been good at figuring out how things worked. He knew how much effort he needed to put in to please his dad, knew how much class he could miss without being penalized, knew how to charm the teachers, his peers. He read the textbooks, studied just enough to pull off grades that made his dad smile. It wasn’t hard, and he was sure Michael would probably hate him for it if he knew.

But Michael was going to change lives. Will wasn’t.

“I’m not a gangster, Dad. It’s just a leather jacket.”

His dad looks at him, tapping his knuckles on the table. “I know the kinds of people who dress like that. They’re amazing people, but they’re not doctors. If that’s what you’re going for, you’re going to have to start dressing the part. Remember, don’t dress for the job you have but the job you want.”

Will refrains from sighing. His dad had never formally asked what he wanted. He simply had taken his encouragement of Michael’s chosen path as confirmation that Will also wanted to become a doctor. And unlike everything else in his life, art had been an accident.

He hadn’t meant to like art, hadn’t meant to even be a shred good at it. But he was good at most things, so maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised. One of his teachers had commented on the doodles in the margins of Will’s assignments and had talked to the art teacher. Who had hunted Will down and given him a sketchbook.

“Doodle in here instead of on your papers,” she’d said. And so Will had. He’d been reluctant at first. Both because he wasn’t sure art would fit with his image and also because he wasn’t sure his father would like it. But no one at school seemed to care what he did as long as he played his part. And he could keep a secret.

And after a few years of it, he was pretty decent. Decent enough that the art teacher had nominated him to display his work in the local gallery. The idea scared him at first, but then he thought that maybe if he did this, then maybe his dad would see that Will didn’t have to be a doctor.

Which is where Nico came in. Will checks the clock, wanting to excuse himself. He’d told his dad that he was meeting a friend to study, the common excuse every child used. He’d learned it from Michael who learned it from his friends. And Will was pretty sure Kayla had used it once or twice to get out of a few things.

“You know I’m proud of you, right, Will?” his dad asks. Will nods. He was sure his dad was proud of the image Will gave off, the studious and ambitious son. He wasn’t so sure his dad would be proud if he knew that Will spent most of his hours drawing or watching tutorials. That he skipped class to go sit in the art room and just breathe.

In the art room, his dad already approved of Will’s passion.

“I know, Dad,” Will says. “When’s Michael coming home next?”

His dad smiles like he always does when talking about Michael. “He couldn’t come home over fall break, so he said he wants to meet up with us for the college tour.” Will nods. Michael had originally planned on going there, but it had been too big for his liking. The school he was at now wasn’t the top school, but it still offered the same opportunities. “Are you excited?”

Will smiles. “Yeah,” he says. He’s most excited about seeing his brother. Michael had gotten so busy this year that he hardly had time to visit. And Will never knew when Michael was available to talk over the phone. So they mostly just text, but that wasn’t quite the same as having your brother home. Kayla teased that she liked it better with only one older brother home, but Will knew she missed Michael, too.

“You’re all growing up so fast,” his dad says. “It’s hard to believe.” Will nods. While he didn’t think he was growing up all that fast, Kayla was just starting to learn how to drive. And he had to admit that that kind of made him feel old.

His dad stands up, opening his arms in the universal sign for a hug. Will smiles, hugging his dad. For a moment, he thinks about blurting out that he wants to be an illustrator, but he keeps his mouth shut. His dad pats his back, and Will straightens.

“I’m proud of you, Will. Leather jacket and all.” Will just wishes he could believe that.  
-  
Nico huffs when Will finally pulls into the parking lot. He’d been waiting for fifteen minutes, and he was about to just head back home. Will’s left his leather jacket at home, and Nico’s surprised to see him wearing a sweater. He hasn’t really studied Will’s look, but he’s pretty sure sweaters have the opposite effect leather jackets do.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Will says. He sits down on the swing beside Nico, smiling. Nico thinks he’s brushed his hair, not that he cares. “So, how did you want to do this?”

Nico shrugs. “This is your idea. And I’m not signing your stupid contract.”

Will just grins. “Did you at least read it? Because I’m not really sure how to go about this, and I was hoping you’d have answers.”

Nico huffs. The great Will Solace who could pull off perfect scores (including extra credit) without actually sitting in class wasn’t sure how to go about an art project. Nico supposes they’re different, but this was Will’s idea. “I read it. But it’s not like I know any more about this than you do. And I wasn’t nominated.”

“But you’re published. At least in the school paper.” Nico rolls his eyes. Getting published n the school paper wasn’t all that hard. In fact, he had very little control over that. His only vote essentially was to say if he was okay with being published. Everything else was up to the teachers and staff.

Will glances at Nico, his cheeks suddenly pink again. Nico would blame it on the cold, but it’s an unexpectedly warm fall day. “Why don’t we start with your art first. Since that’s what got nominated.”

“Oh, um, yeah,” Will says. He seems unsure now, fingering the edges of his sketchbook. “Uh, here, I guess. Just flip through it or whatever.” He hands the book to Nico, looking away as their fingers brush. Nico glances at Will before opening the book. He’s not sure why Will’s suddenly nervous about this. It’s not like Nico asked to look at his art.

The first several pages are clearly Will still getting the hang of drawing. He’s got wild, fantastic creatures and adorably, absurd creatures. There are portraits and still life drawings. Most of it is done in black and white, some ink and some just pencil. But there are a few that are colored with watercolors or pastels or colored pencil.

“You’re really good,” Nico says. He’s seen Will’s doodles, but they’re nothing like this. These pieces have been worked on, hours of dedication going into them. He hands the sketchbook back to Will, noting how carefully he holds it.

“Thanks,” Will says, and he lets out a sigh. “I’ve never really shown anyone my work. Except for the art teacher, but she pretty much demands that I do.” He lets out a short laugh, running a hand through his hair. Nico wonders if that’s how he gets that cool, messy look he’s always sporting.

“So, you wanted to make a book or what?” Nico asks. Will hadn’t been too clear, and Nico suspects that’s because Will didn’t quite know either.

“I don’t know,” Will says. “I want some kind of story, but I’m not sure if that’s a comic or a book or something else. Like, I’ve got an idea, but it’s not very concrete.” His hands flap around as he speaks, and Nico can tell he’s frustrated that he can’t put it into words.

“Why don’t you just tell me about some of the drawings,” Nico suggests. “It might help me come up with ideas, too.”

Will nods. He flips through the sketchbook a few times. “So, I draw a lot of mythological stuff just because my brother was really into that when we were younger. He knew all of the Greek and Roman gods by heart and could rattle off stories like no one’s business. So I guess it just made sense that I draw a lot of dragons and weird creatures.” He pauses.

“And then the cuter stuff is just because I like it. I mean, I like all of it. But I think that stuff like this is more my style.” He flips through again, showing Nico a few drawings. Nico finds himself smiling at the thought that Will Solace spends time somehow making kittens and bears cuter than they already are.

“What about the portraits?” Nico asks.

Will shrugs. “Wanted to see if I could do it. Some people can make a living being a portrait artist. And also the art teacher encouraged me to try out different things to help me find my style.” Nico nods. That made sense. He wonders if that’s where Will goes when he just walks out of class. It kind of makes him like Will more. To know that he’s not doing it just to be a nuisance.

“And this is more important than being in class?” Nico asks. Because it still rubs him the wrong way.

Will actually manages to look sheepish when he shrugs. “Well, I already know everything that’s being taught. It’s nothing that we can’t read.” He pauses. “And school’s the only place I can really do this.”

Nico doesn’t quite understand that. His parents are pretty supportive, even when he expressed an interest in wanting to be an author. “Do your parents not like it?” Nico asks carefully.

Will shrugs again, pulling the sleeves over his fingers as he slouches a bit in the swing. “My mom approves and supports me. I haven’t actually told my dad, but he’s been pushing me to become a doctor like my brother. So I don’t know.” He shrugs once more to get his point across. “I guess I feel less paranoid at school.”

Nico nods. He’s having a hard time reconciling the Will before him and the Will at school. They’re not all that different from each other, but Nico likes his Will better. He’s always seen Will as honest (if not just a bit too honest), but now all of that feels like a show. Only this Will right here feels genuine.

“Have you tried painting at all?” Nico asks. “I mean, I really like your stuff already. But I’m just thinking it could be bolder if you tried painting it.” Will nods slowly.

“Wanna see if you’re right?” Will asks, grinning now. Nico glances over at him, frowning. He’s not sure what Will has in mind, but he doesn’t quite like it. He definitely doesn’t like it when Will runs over to the doors of the school building.

“If we get arrested, I’m saying you kidnapped me,” Nico says. He turns away as Will somehow picks the lock. He’s not sure if the school has an alarm system, but he wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t. He feels Will tug on his arm, and he ducks inside. “Why do you know how to do that?”

“Michael taught me. That and it seemed handy to know. The leather jacket isn’t just for show.” Nico catches a flash of Will’s white teeth, and his stomach flips. He’s starting to doubt that Will’s as ‘problematic’ as he thinks he is, but he doesn’t call him out on it.

They make their way to the art room, and Will picks that lock. Nico keeps looking around for security cameras, though he’s not sure they even have those. By the time he walks in, Will’s already started pulling out paints and brushes. He gets his canvas ready, sitting cross-legged on a table for a few moments.“Are blank pages this daunting to you, too?” he asks softly.

Nico shrugs. “I never think about it like that. Besides, there’s no pressure. No one has to see it if you don’t want them to.” He walks around the room while Will continues to stare at the canvas. He’s not sure if it’s him making Will nervous or the fact that they just broke into the school. “Please tell me you haven’t done this before.”

“What? Painted or sat on a table?” Will jokes, his curly hair poking out from behind the canvas. Nico huffs. “No, I’ve never broken into a school before. But I have hot-wired a car. Michael’s, though.” Nico can see Will’s arm moving now, so he makes sure to stay over where he is.

They don’t talk much, and Nico gets out his phone to read. He feels like he should feel more nervous right now, but there’s something about Will that makes him calm. Will’s humming while he paints, cursing occasionally. Nico finds himself almost just as interested in what Will’s doing as in his book.

He’s broken out of his spell when Will stops humming, poking his head around the canvas. He’s got his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, showing off a spattering of freckles and paint along his arms. There’s a swipe of green across his cheeks, almost hiding the blush.

“Um, how’s this look?”

Nico gets up, moving to stand just beside Will. He can feel Will’s nerves radiating off of him. He smiles when he looks at the painting. Will’s painted one of his mythical creatures in bold strokes of black and green, subtle tones of red and orange underlying all of it.

“And then there’s this one, too,” Will adds. Nico looks at the smaller canvas, smiling wider when he sees that Will’s painted a sheep and a chubby dinosaur playing cards.

“They’re amazing, Will.” He pauses. “I don’t think you really need my help, honestly. The paintings already tell the stories.”

Will huffs. “Now you’re just being nice.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “No, I’m being serious.” He wonders if Will’s just scared to put himself out there. He’s never thought of Will being scared of anything, but he supposes everyone has their fears. “Is there a certain number you need?”

Will shakes his head. “She just said to do what feels right.”

Nico nods. “Well, how does feel?”

Will’s silent. When Nico looks over at him, he’s biting his lip, his expression both guarded and soft. “It kind of feels like something’s happening. I hope he likes it.”

Nico doesn’t say anything, just awkwardly pats Will’s shoulder. They stay there for a few more hours, Will humming and painting, Nico reading. He feels like he should be annoyed that Will’s taking up his Saturday when he could be doing homework or reading on the couch or hanging out with his family. But he finds that he doesn’t really mind when Will looks up every now and then and smiles.  
-  
After that Saturday, Will doesn’t have another chance to break into the school. He’s thought about it, but it’s not as fun when Nico’s not there. So he skips classes to work on his art, and sometimes Nico joins him during lunch. He’s tried to convince Nico to skip out with him, but Nico always refuses. And Will admires that.

He’s always admired Nico.

Sometimes they sit and talk, and other times, they don’t. Will feels so ecstatic that he’s finally talking to Nico and that Nico’s talking back that he hardly has time to be nervous about the other thing he’s doing. He finds himself sketching out Nico’s face while he’s in class, imagining what Nico would look like on a canvas. He can imagine the colors he’d use, the brushes, how gently he’d paint Nico’s hair, his cheekbones.

Nico still glares at him, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m excited to see what you’re working on,” the art teacher says. She smiles at him, organizing the cabinets yet again. Organization is not something every art student prioritizes, and it shows. “Not to make you nervous, but I’m excited to see what you have.”

Will nods. He’d asked her not to look because he was still nervous about people looking. He’d only showed his paintings to Nico. He still thought they needed something else, but Nico assured him they didn’t. He’d tried to get Nico to write a blurb for the paintings, but Nico kept refusing, saying that they were perfect the way they were. Will wasn’t sure. A collection of cartoon characters and mythical creatures really wasn’t much. There was no story.

He had tried diving into other aspects of his life, but the paintings never turned out right. He wonders if he’s trying too hard.

“Have you eaten yet, Will?” the art teacher asks. Will shakes his head. He’s been staring at this painting for the last twenty minutes, trying to figure out what needed adding or fixed. It seemed imbalanced, and he didn’t like it. “Well, take a break. I’m afraid that the canvas will always win the staring contest.”

Will nods, standing up to crack his back and neck. He’d skipped the class just before lunch to work on this, having had a strike of inspiration. It had left quickly, though, leaving him unsure for a while. He packs up his stuff, washing his brushes and folding a sheet over his canvas.

Nico hadn’t come to visit him today, and he wonders if that’s why his inspiration was lacking. When Nico was there, he felt more relaxed. The deadline didn’t press so tightly against his chest. He didn’t think about all of the things his dad could say about it.

“Dude, there’s a fight that way,” some guy says. “Wouldn’t get involved if I were you.”

Will shrugs. Fights weren’t all that uncommon, but they usually weren’t anything to worry about. It was usually just Bryce and Octavian picking on someone. Or some of the athletes fighting about team positions and ranks. Will tended to stay out of fights.

He hears Bryce’s voice and sighs. He didn’t understand why Bryce and Octavian chose to spend their time hacking on others. If they didn’t like school, they were welcome to leave. They were both eighteen and stupid. Will suspected they went to school for something to do.

“Think you’re all big and bad now?” Octavian is taunting. “Hanging out with the big kids. Solace finally found a pet, huh?”

Will tenses at his name, wondering who the poor kid was. He turns the corner to see Octavian and Bryce’s backs. His breath hitches when he sees Nico standing in front of them. Will can tell that they’re just getting started.

“Which one of you is the top?” Bryce asks. “Is all of that black to hide that you’re a girl?”

“That’s enough,” Will says. “Leave him alone.” He knows he probably doesn’t look too intimidating, but he can tell Nico’s uncomfortable.

“Oh, Solace! We were just trying to invite Nico over, but he said he already had a bed to sleep in tonight,” Octavian sneers.

“Lay off,” Nico says. He moves to go around them, but Bryce grabs his wrist. “Hey!”

Before Will can process what he’s doing, he’s between Bryce and Nico, staring him down. “Hands off.”

“Okay, okay. Got the message. Hands off the merchandise,” Bryce says. Will wants to punch him, but he knows that he’ll no longer be just under the radar. And he definitely knows his dad won’t be pleased if he knows Will’s been in a fight.

“Don’t speak about Nico that way,” Will growls. He steps back, glancing at Nico. He looks uncertain, looking between Will and Bryce. Octavian is simply smirking.

“Got it,” Octavian says. “Nico’s yours. Let’s go, Bryce. Give them some privacy.” He winks as they walk off, and Will swallows the urge to chase after them. He doesn’t turn to Nico until he’s calmed down some.“Sorry,” he says. “You probably could have handled that.”Nico shrugs. “I hate those guys.” Will nods.

“Are you okay?” Will asks, his voice coming out softer than he’d wanted. Nico blinks, seemingly also surprised. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?” He glances at Nico’s wrist.

“I’m okay, Will. Just startled me, I guess.” Will nods. Despite his ‘bad boy’ reputation, he’s never actually gotten involved in a fight of any kind.

“Wanna eat?” Nico shrugs.

“Not really. I kind of just want to go home now and sleep. I stayed up way too late studying for this test in history.” Will laughs, thinking that sounds just like Nico. Nico smiles back, and Will’s stomach flutters. Nico’s smile was gorgeous. He thinks that in storybooks, this would be where they confessed their feelings and kissed.But it’s not a storybook, so Will just says, “I can take you home.”

“You don’t have classes you need to go to?” Will shrugs, and Nico nods. He’s never been more thankful that his parents work full-time jobs than now. Because once he drops Nico off, he’s definitely not going back to school. He also stayed up late last night. But not to study.

He drives to Nico’s house, surprised when Nico invites him in. “You weren’t going back to school, were you?” Nico asks. Will swears he’s teasing, and he can’t keep the blush off of his face. “Sorry I missed seeing you at lunch, but can I still see?”

Will still feels shy even when he shows Nico his artwork, but he’s getting better at it. He’s still not ready to show his parents, but he hopes he’ll be ready soon. They sit on Nico’s bed, Nico wrapping himself up in blankets. Will teases him at the lack of black in his room, and Nico shoves his shoulder.

“I appreciate other colors, but I love black,” Nico says, laughing. He opens Will’s sketchbook, and Will thinks he’s going to have to get another sketchbook soon. He’s only got a handful of pages left, and he’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to use the backs.

“I think you’re trying too hard to tell a story,” Nico says. “Like, when I write, I don’t always focus on the plot. Sometimes I know where I want to go, and sometimes I just have to see what the characters have in store for me.” Will nods slowly. They talk some more about his art, about Nico’s classes. Will helps him with their science homework. When Nico starts yawning, Will jokingly tucks him in, laying a pillow over Nico’s face.

Nico laughs, pushing it towards Will. “Jerk,” he laughs. Will smiles. Nico looks like an angel, curled up in the messy sheets. He cuddles the pillow underneath his head, blinking slowly.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Nico,” Will says. He doesn’t wait for Nico to answer because he’s suddenly got an idea. He rushes home, locking himself in his room as he opens his sketchbook and just draws.  
-  
Nico’s not sure what to expect when he goes to the exhibit. He knows a couple of other people from their school have been chosen to display their artwork, but he’s never been to the local gallery before. It’s in an older building, the wooden floor creaking every few steps. There are a few people there but not a lot.

Will had asked Nico to come with him, but Nico wanted him to go with his parents. He scans the room, looking for Will in the crowd. He thinks that it shouldn’t be all that hard to find that unruly mop of blond hair, but he can’t seem to find Will.

He walks around the rooms, getting a feel for the setup. Will had been pretty quiet on which pieces he’d chosen to display and what he’d finally decided to do. He’d even asked Nico not to come by during lunch when he worked. So Nico had given him space, but not seeing Will was making him antsy.He’s not sure when he started thinking of Will as his friend, and he’s not sure when just the thought of Will began to make his stomach flutter. But he’s hoping to get some answers. He sees a few people from school, Jason and Annabeth walking around. Annabeth’s saying something about the cityscapes, and Jason’s just nodding. They wave at Nico, smiling.

“Have you seen Will’s stuff yet?” Jason asks. Nico shakes his head. “It’s just through there. You should definitely check it out.”

Nico nods, heading through the doorway. He finds himself in a darker room, little lamps set up as spotlights. It offsets the colors of Will’s paintings. Nico smiles softly as he walks around the room. The room creaks, but it seems to add to the atmosphere. Nico’s honestly not sure how Will did it, but it feels like Will. Even though Will’s not there, Nico can hear his laugh, his off-key humming, can see his smile.

“Impressive,” a man says. Nico’s struck by how similar Will and his dad look. They’ve both got the curly hair, the freckles, the blue eyes. Another man is standing next to him, and Nico thinks it might be Will’s brother.

“I never knew,” Michael says. “No wonder he never cared for his studies.” He gives a short laugh, and Nico hears Will in it.

He’s about to walk into the next room when a girl comes through, tugging on her mom’s arm. “C’mon. Will said you have to see this one piece. Something about a boy,” she sings. Nico feels himself flush and then admonishes himself. Just because Will had been spending a lot of time with him didn’t mean that he was the boy. Will had lots of friends.

The mom laughs, and Nico wonders where Will is if he’s not with his family. He passes through the doorway, finding the next room to be decorated with fairy lights. On the wall is a series of portraits, some sloppy, others with more grace. And in the center is an angel. He’s sleeping, his hair falling over his eyes, his wings draping over the other side of the bed.

Nico moves closer to read the plaque next to the painting. It simply says ‘Angel.’

“What do you think?” Will asks, his voice so soft that he hardly startles Nico.

“I think it’s all amazing. But I already knew that it would be.” Will lets out a small laugh. “Your family is waiting for you.”

Will ducks his head. “Yeah, I saw them pass through.” He runs a hand through his hair, looking suddenly exhausted. “I finally told my dad. About all of this. Figured it was either that or suffer through a long weekend touring a college I never want to go to.”

Nico smiles. “I’m proud of you.”

Though it’s dim, Nico swears Will’s blushing. “You helped, too.” Nico rolls his eyes. He’s pretty sure all of this is Will’s doing. “I mean, you’re the angel, after all.”

Now it’s Nico’s turn to blush as he glances at the painting again. When he glances back at Will, he finds Will much closer. “Will?”

“You know, I’ve been meaning to say this for a while, but I’m such a coward,” Will whispers. “But I think you’re beautiful, and you’re right. I didn’t need a story. I already had one. But you helped me find it. And I’ve always thought you were so smart and cute. And, gods, Nico, I’ve had a crush on you since freshman year.”

It takes a moment for Will’s rambling to process in Nico’s mind. “I was always glaring at you,” he says finally.

Will laughs. “Yeah, you were. But you’re not glaring at me now.”

Nico tries, but he can’t quite make it work. Instead, his lips curve upwards, and he finds himself laughing. “You’ve destroyed my reputation, Solace.”

Will merely shrugs. “What can I say? I thought the leather jacket was enough warning.” Nico reaches up to hesitantly poke at Will’s sweater-clad arm.“I don’t see a leather jacket.” Will smiles, leaning closer.

“Well, you’ve completely destroyed my reputation, too, di Angelo.” He pauses. “So does that mean you like me, too? We can sign a contract.”

Nico laughs. “Alright. But I don’t have a pen on me.”

Will cups his face. “I was thinking of something like this.” And then he kisses Nico. It’s soft and gentle, and he pulls back grinning.

“My turn,” Nico whispers. He leans in for another kiss, and Will’s grinning so wide. Nico’s not even embarrassed when the Solace family walks in on them, he’s so happy. He holds Will’s hand as Will introduces them. Then he stays behind with Will’s mom and siblings while Will goes outside to talk to his dad.

“If you don’t have any dinner plans, Nico,” Will’s mom says, “you’re very welcome to come to dinner with us tonight.”

Nico’s about to excuse himself when Will comes back in, a huge grin on his face. His gaze falls on Nico, softening to something like affection and amusement. And Nico hears himself accepting the invitation.

“It’s not too late to visit a few more schools,” Will’s dad says. He pats Will on the back, smiling. “I’m proud of you, Will. I’ve always been.”

Nico swears Will sniffles, but no one says anything as they file out into the night. Will takes Nico’s hand as they climb into the car. The four of them have to cram into the backseat, but Nico doesn’t mind. Kayla pesters them about their relationship, and Michael teases Will about his leather jacket after Nico spills that detail.

He’s not sure what’s going to happen next, but he thinks he’ll be spending more time in the art room. And he hopes that Will’ll wear more sweaters as much as Nico’s come to love the leather jacket. Will’s holding his hand as he reaches across Nico and Kayla to swat at Michael. Kayla’s singing along to the radio, and Nico’s just taking it all in.

Maybe he didn’t hate Will after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi :) not sure if this technically falls under a prompt for the AUctober, but please definitely check out the fics for that - they're all amazing :) (they're on ao3 and tumblr)


	24. step by step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico writes a letter. Will responds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: past character death mentions, themes of depression and grief
> 
> please let me know if I need to tag anything!

The first time Nico ever sent a letter, he wasn’t expecting one in return. It’d been a cheesy assignment from his therapist, a way of getting his ideas flowing, of reaching out to someone else. Looking back, he was pretty sure his therapist watched way too many movies. This had “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” all over it.

It feels like I’m suddenly living someone else’s life, Nico had written. Like a world where Mama and Bianca aren’t just simply gone but like they never existed. All of the pictures are gone, and Dad never says their names. Like he’s never known them.

Instead of mailing the letter, Nico had left it in a coffee shop, between the pages of a book. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for someone to read his letter, so he’d decided that only someone meant to read it would find it there. He pretended that he was scanning the bookshelf for something to read, carefully slipping the envelope into a thick book. He didn’t even glance at the title, just making sure it wasn’t a children’s book. Little kids shouldn’t have to read the thoughts swirling around his head.

And then he’d promptly forgotten about it. His therapist had been surprised. Nico hardly ever did any of the assignments he was given. He wasn’t trying to be rebellious, but if he wanted to make friends and have sleepovers, wouldn’t he already be doing that? It wasn’t like he enjoyed sitting in the therapist’s office week after week.

“Nico?” his dad calls. Nico turns his music down as his dad walks in. He stands awkwardly in the doorway, and Nico wishes he knew what to say to make it less so. Since his mom and sister’s death, they’ve been working on being around more often for each other (both mentally and physically). But it was hard.

“Yeah? What’s up?” Nico asks, trying for casual.

“You got a letter today.” He says it like he wants Nico to explain who it’s from and what it’s going to say, but Nico has no idea. It wasn’t a letter for college or else his dad would have just left it on the counter for Nico to find later. This was something different.

Nico doesn’t recognize the return address, and he’s surprised to see a cartoony sticker holding the envelope closed. Slowly, he opens it, glancing up at his dad. There’s a beat of silence before Nico pulls out a sheet of paper. It’s carefully folded into thirds, scribbled handwriting covering it. For a moment, Nico just stares at it, not sure what to do.

“Are you going to read it?” his dad asks.

Nico clears his throat, nods. It takes him a bit of time to read the letter. The handwriting isn’t very legible, and writing in pen on both sides of the paper wasn’t the best option. By the time he gets to the end of the letter, Nico almost feels like smiling.

“It’s a response to my letter,” Nico says. “The one I sent three years ago.”

He can see his dad’s eyebrows go up, but he takes his time before speaking. “Are you going to reply? That was the assignment, right?”

Nico nods. His therapist had said he didn’t have to reply, but it was highly encouraged. “I might.” He shrugs. He’s not really sure. There’s something intriguing about the letter, and just feeling the paper in his hands feels like a confirmation of something. He’d left that letter three years ago. So much had changed. And so much hadn’t. “You think I should?”

His dad pauses before nodding. “I had a pen pal in high school. I think sometimes that those letters were the only things that got me through. The letters and your mom.” He gives Nico a sad smile, and Nico smiles back. Slowly, baby steps. “At one point, I thought she was my pen pal.”

“Did you ever find out who it was?” Nico asks. His dad hardly ever talks about being younger. To Nico, it’s like he was born old.

“No, but Maria was terrible at keeping secrets.” Nico smiles a little wider. He rereads the letter in his hands, trying to figure out what kind of person could have sent the letter. He runs his finger over the return address. It wouldn’t be that hard to send out a response. And the person seemed genuinely concerned about Nico.

“Can we go to the diner tonight?” Nico asks. It’s the first thought that comes to mind. He’s afraid his dad’s going to say no.

There’s a beat of silence. “Sure. It’s been a while since I’ve had a milkshake.”

The ride there seems longer than Nico remembers, but silence does that. It stretches into infinity, making a fifteen-minute car ride seem like forever. The last time they’d done this as a family, the car had been full of music and laughter. His mom might have been quizzing Bianca for her upcoming test, and Nico would be complaining that he didn’t need to know any of that stuff for years to come. And his dad would be quietly humming with the radio.

Nico feels his eyes prickle when his dad holds up two fingers. They pass by their usual table near the window, sitting against the wall. His dad sighs as he sits down. While nothing significantly important had happened at the diner, it was a place the di Angelos often found themselves when Maria didn’t feel like cooking. Which happened at least three times a month. So it’d always felt like a home-cooked meal.“It looks the same,” his dad says. “I kind of thought something would have changed.” Nico nods. He gets that feeling a lot now. The fact that almost nothing had changed was both frustrating and comforting. The world was still spinning. But Nico’s family had been cut in half.

They order their usuals, not even cracking open the menu. His dad gets a milkshake, chocolate with a cherry on top, sipping absently. Nico steals a few bites, though he’s not sure his dad notices. Usually, his mom and dad would split one while Nico and Bianca tried to steal bites. Then they’re paying for their meal and heading out the door. His dad pats Nico’s shoulder as they get to the car, his mouth not quite a smile.

“Step by step,” he says. Nico nods. So many things have changed in three years. And so many things haven’t.  
-  
Will’s bussing tables when the bell over the door rings. He looks up, expecting a stranger. Instead, it’s the elderly lady who comes in every Friday afternoon to sip coffee and catch Will up on the latest gossip in her nursing home. Will slips behind the counter to get the coffee while Greta makes her way to her favorite booth. She pauses to look over the bookshelf.

“No new titles, I see,” she says. Will just shrugs. On the side, they run a lending library. People can bring in books that they don’t want anymore and get new ones. Occasionally, Will’ll pull some out to take home. He tries to replace them with books from home, but he finds it hard to get rid of books. So he considers the books a small payment for keeping the shelves organized and tidy.

“So, what’s the latest?” Will asks, setting down the coffee. Greta takes her time, stirring her coffee.

“Did I tell you what happened at Bingo the other night?” she asks. Will grins, shaking his head. He’s grabbed a muffin for himself, and he works on it while Greta tells him about Bingo and her new neighbors and the cat her friend had babysat.

“You’re such a nice young, man,” she says when she’s finished. “Too nice to be listening to an old lady like me.” She pats his cheek, wiping her lipstick off of the mug. “Any cute boys at that school of yours?”

Will blushes, shaking his head. “I mean, yeah. But none that I would date.” Greta smiles at him.

“Why not?”

Will shrugs. “Just not my type, I guess.” Greta makes a humming sound like she doesn’t believe him.

“Well, you’ll find a good one, I’m sure. And then you’ll keep him forever.” She smiles at him. “I remember when I first saw Garret.”

Will smiles. He’s heard this story at least five times, but he always loves hearing it again. He found it romantic that they’d met at a flower shop. She’d been selling flowers, and he’d come in to get some for his girlfriend at the time. Only she hadn’t known that, so she’d slipped her number into the bouquet. He’d come in the next day, so angry at her.

“And from there, it was like heaven on earth,” Greta finishes. “Even with the yelling during sports games and the dirty socks lying everywhere.” She fishes out a handful of tissues from her purse, dabbing at her eyes.

Will was very aware that he was in the perfect place for falling in love. He worked in a coffee shop, for goodness sakes. But he could never get his courage to write his number down on a stranger’s coffee cup. And only Greta had time for chatting. Everyone else stopped by with a purpose, slipping their earbuds in if they were going to stay for a bit.

“Don’t rush it,” she says. “Love takes its own time. You’ll be in the middle of it before you even realize it’s happening.” She laughs, smiling. They chat a little more, talking about Will’s classes, his mom, any good books he’s read lately. Then the bus was there to take Greta back to the nursing home.

When she’s gone, Will hangs up his apron, heading over to the bookshelf. He liked to go through it every other week, weeding out books that got overshadowed by others, finding books he wanted to read, organizing it by genre. He also checked the condition of the books, making sure that they weren’t falling apart.

Will thinks about the letter he’d found sticking out of one of the books. In a moment of impulse, he’d written a letter back and mailed it off. He had hidden the original letter in his nightstand, not sure what his mom would think about it. It wasn’t like Will to do anything impulsively. If anything, he always overthought everything.

But he’d felt that letter, had connected to it. He’d gone through something like that, and he wanted to make sure they were okay. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how cliché. There hadn’t been a date on the letter, so he had no idea how long ago it’d been written. But there was a return address in the corner which surprised Will.

I know how you feel, Will had written back, more honest than he’d been with himself in a long time. I know how it feels to be so full of emptiness.

“Sweetie? Will you be around this weekend? I just got this huge order last minute, so I’ll need some help around here.”“I’ll be here, Mama!” Will calls back. His mom pokes her head out from the back, smiling.

“Thanks, Will.” She pauses like she wants to say something else. Will thinks he can just hear it on the tip of her tongue as she dips back into the kitchen. He knows what she wants to say. That she wishes he’d get out more, that he’d had plans this weekend, that he didn’t have to dedicate himself to someone else’s dream.

But he did. Because Mama was all he had now. He was still juggling what he wanted to do about college. Because he knew she’d be angry with him if he chose a close college just so he could be home more. But he’d grown up in this town, could walk the streets with his eyes closed (not that he’d ever try). Lee had left home, and he’d never come back. Will didn’t want to make the same mistake.  
-  
Nico’s not sure where to start. He can’t even remember what exactly he’d put in the first letter. He knew it’d been kind of angsty, full of self-doubt and self-pity. But that wasn’t quite him anymore. He’d made it through that, and now he was somewhere else. He wasn’t sure which stage of grief this was, if it even was a stage.

He’s started the letter at least five times, crossing out words, ripping out pages. He’s not sure why he’s trying so hard. It’s not like he’s looking to impress anyone. He reads the letter again, having it practically memorized at this point. It’s been almost a week, and he still can’t figure out what to write.

“Just start from the beginning,” his dad had said when Nico asked. Only Nico wasn’t sure which beginning. The original beginning? Or the beginning starting with the funeral, his new reality? He knew his first letter was super personal and distant at the same time, but he didn’t want to burden his new pen pal with all of his problems when it seemed like he had his own.

Dear stranger, he’s written. Then he starts writing and tells himself not to think about it until he’s finished. He’s got about a page and a half when he’s done. He reads over it, resisting the urge to crumple the whole thing up. Then he adds a few questions at the end, trying to figure out who the person on the other end is.

I’m doing a lot better since I wrote that letter, Nico writes. It’s still hard, but it doesn’t seem as impossible anymore.

Nico’s thinking it’s a guy. Probably tall. Dark hair and tanned skin. Brown eyes. For a moment, he imagines that he’s in a novel, that this is a happy ending in the making. Then he turns off that thought, folding the paper, sealing the envelope. He thinks about adding a sticker over the flat, but he decides against that. That’s his pen pal’s thing. He carefully copies the address, wondering if he should mail it or just leave it at the coffee shop again.

His decision is made for him when Hazel and Jason both text him, asking to hang out. He drops his letter into the postal box as he heads to the park. Jason’s trying to climb back up the slide while Hazel films him for her vlogs. She aims the camera at Nico, and Nico waves. He’s getting more used to being on this end of the camera since Hazel started this endeavor two years ago.“What’s up?” Nico asks.

“Jason’s trying to sprain his ankle,” Hazel says, laughing. Nico nods. Jason’s chosen the tallest slide in the park, and he’s wearing his old sneakers. If he had more tread, there would probably be a chance. But right now, Jason’s just slipping. He loses his footing, his knee slamming into the plastic of the slide as he falls backward.

“Gee, thanks for the rescue, guys,” Jason says as he brushes the rubber pellets out of his hair. Hazel just shrugs, laughing. She says something into the camera before shoving it into her pocket.

“Some people have to learn the hard way, Jace,” Nico says. “Maybe you’d be better off if you tried it barefoot. Since you definitely need new shoes.”

Jason pouts at this. The shoes he’s currently wearing are at least four years old and falling apart. Jason’s had to glue them back together multiple times, and Nico knows Jason’s got enough saved up for a decent pair of shoes. He’s just sentimental.

“Good idea, Neeks.” Hazel pulls her camera out again as Jason peels off his shoes and socks. Then he takes a running leap up the slide. Nico stands behind the camera with, laughing as Jason works his way up the slide. He finally manages to make it to the top on his fifth try.

“I have conquered!” Jason yells. Nico snorts when this attracts the attention of a group of kids who’ve been hanging out on the swings.

“So, why are you doing this anyway?” Nico asks.

“Truth or dare,” Hazel says, grinning. Nico rolls his eyes. Truth or dare was so childish sometimes and so scary other times. “Want a turn?”

“Uh, no,” Nico says. He knows what kinds of things Hazel comes up with, and he’d rather not participate. Hazel pouts, putting her camera away.

“I won’t film. Please, Nico? I won’t even call you a chicken if you duck out. Promise.” She’s grinning in the way that tells Nico to trust her. She knows his boundaries, and she wouldn’t step over them without asking first. He glances at Jason.

“Fine. But if it’s something stupid, I’m going home.” Hazel beams.

“Truth or dare,” Hazel says dramatically.

“Dare,” Nico says.

Hazel grins. “Jason and I were just about to get food. So you’re coming with us. Then you’ll find out your dare.” Nico looks over to Jason for help, but he just shrugs. Nico’s slightly relieved to see that this whole set up isn’t premeditated or else he would have just run home. Instead, he follows them to the coffee shop, thinking if he’d just waited a little longer, he could have snuck his letter in between another book. (Of course, somehow without his friends noticing.)

“I’ve got it,” Hazel says. “I want you to tell the barista a joke.”

Nico half expects some young girl to be manning the counter. Instead, it’s a middle-aged woman, her blond hair tied back. She’s talking to someone in the back as Nico walks up to the counter. For a moment, he wonders if she’s the one who responded to his letter. It would explain why they were so understanding and kind. But Nico doesn’t think it was her.

“Hello, how may I help you?” Nico orders the drinks and food first, trying to think of a joke. He’s not intentionally funny, so jokes don’t come easily to him. He watches as she makes the drinks, heating up the pastries before plating them. “Whipped cream?” Nico nods. “Anything else?”

“Um, yeah,” Nico says. He takes a deep breath. “What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman?”

The lady smiles. “I don’t know. What?”

“Frostbite,” Nico finishes. It’s not the funniest joke, but the lady’s smiling. And it somehow makes Nico feel better. Even if he hadn’t been feeling down to begin with. “Um, thanks.”

He practically rushes back to the table. Hazel smiles at him. “Classic joke,” she says. Jason nods in agreement.

“Gods, these are the best croissants ever,” he mumbles, buttery layers falling apart as he shoves the rest in his mouth. Nico rolls his eyes. He grabs the chocolate chip muffin he got for himself, sipping at his hot chocolate. It was a nice autumn day, a nice breath of fresh air before winter hit. Winter with all of its memories.

P.S. Nico thinks of adding. Sometimes you have to live for the little things. Things like the most perfect croissants in the world.

“You okay, Nico?” Jason asks softly. Nico snaps out of his thoughts, nodding.

“Yeah.” He turns to Hazel, smiling. “Truth or dare?”  
-  
Will eagerly rips open the envelope, his eyes scanning over the handwriting before he actually read the letter. He remembers his therapist suggesting he do this after his brother died, but he’d thought it was silly. But maybe, then, he hadn’t been in the right place to want help.

This is the third letter he’s gotten, not counting the original one. He hadn’t been expecting to hear back or even to have an invitation to write more. But both things had come true. He knows the other person simply as N, and he’s signed as W.

So far, they haven’t really talked much about what started these letters other than N saying that they were in a better place now. Will had smiled at that, knowing how hard getting through all of that could be. He’d thrown himself into the bakery with his mom when everything had crashed and burned. And he was still working on easing up.

Will wasn’t sure what to expect with each letter. He always included questions in the letter, but he understood if any of them were too personal or just didn’t have an answer. He hadn’t answered all of the questions N had asked yet either. For some reason, the letters felt almost like first dates. There were spots where it was obvious that N had paused to think about what the next sentence would be. Or where something was whited-out.

But despite the awkward tension, they also made Will smile every time he got one. He had no idea who this N was, but Will was always looking forward to the letters. He still hadn’t told his mom about them, and he wasn’t sure how he should. But they didn’t keep secrets from each other.

“Will?” Mama calls. “Could you give me a hand?”

Will races down the stairs. The perk of living above the bakery was that he could always be there when he needed to be. The downside was that he was essentially always at the bakery. But space had come with living quarters, and it would have been foolish to turn the offer down.

That and it gave them a chance to start over in a place where memories weren’t stained into the walls and carpets. Will’s first thought when he saw the apartment and bakery was that Lee would have loved it. It’d always been his and Mama’s dream, not Will’s. But Will was the one left to help carry it out.

I made my brother’s dream come true, Will writes. But I have no idea what I want to do with my own life. I can’t help feeling like I’m trying to live his life for him.

He finds his mom elbow deep in dough, and he rolls his eyes. “Could you get the cookies? I thought I had more time.” Will nods, getting the cookies out of the oven. He places them on the cooling rack while his mom works on removing her hands from the dough.

“Is this for the wedding? Or for the bakery?” Will asks.

“A little bit of both,” Mama says. “Any plans for today?”

Will shrugs. He never has plans, but Mama always asks anyway. He knows she’s hoping for the day that he says yes. They’d both agreed that the move would be good, but only Mama had actually branched out. The only people Will talked to were the ones who walked into the bakery. He had school friends, but he didn’t have any best friends.

“Just thought I’d finish my book,” Will says. Mama nods, rinsing her hands before moving to hug him.

“You know there’s a whole world out there, right?” she asks. Will nods. He’s been out there in that world, but now he always feels like he’s missing something. It’s not like he never stepped foot outside of the bakery, but he was always alone or with Mama when he did. He wasn’t heading to people’s houses or to parks. He was going to school, doing deliveries, clearing his mind.

But this time of year was always hardest for Will. When the weather got colder, and the holiday scents filled the air. He wasn’t used to being an only child. His mom wasn’t used to pouring all of her love into just Will. There were always more cookies than they could eat, food cooked that neither of them ever liked but it was tradition. No one to drag him to a pumpkin patch or push him through a pile of leaves.

Mama got busy. Will got lethargic. Autumn used to be Will’s second-favorite season because of the holidays.

“Why don’t we go and pick out pumpkins?” Mama says suddenly.

“Don’t you have to do the stuff for the wedding?”

Mama smiles. “And I’ll get to that. But right now, we’re going to pick out pumpkins.”

Will feels a small leap in his chest, smiling at his mom. Traditions are traditions, and Will’s pretty sure Lee would have a fit if they skipped over pumpkins just because of him. And this’ll give him something less boring to talk about in his next letter, Will thinks.

It almost feels like nothing’s changed as they head to their favorite pumpkin patch. They don’t go on the hayride because Will’s never liked them that much, instead walking up the hill to the pumpkins. It’s late morning, but it’s not too busy. Parents with small children are herding them together, getting ready to leave for lunch.

“I remember when you two were that young,” Mama says, smiling. They wander down the rows, Will trying to remember how to do this again. Since Lee’s been gone, they’d just picked up pumpkins at the store, neither of them quite ready to follow through with a tradition without Lee.

“Are we carving them, Mama?”

“Whatever you want to do with them. I think I’m going to find a few smaller ones for the store.” She heads off down a row while Will starts to mentally compose a letter to N. He wonders if N ever does this, if the holidays are just as hard for them.

Will trips over a vine, almost falling into a pumpkin when someone grabs his arm. He finds himself looking into brown eyes, black hair brushing over his face. Will has to gather his thoughts for a moment before he can stand up properly. The guy who’d caught him was shorter than Will but apparently strong.

“Um, thanks.” The guy nods.

“Careful. I hear the pumpkins like to see revenge,” the guy says, smirking.

“Revenge for what?” Will asks.

“For carving up their friends every autumn.” He shoves his hands into his pockets, shrugging now. “It’s just something my sister used to say whenever we picked out pumpkins.” Will nods. “I always paint mine now. Death by pumpkin just isn’t a good story.”

Will laughs, startling both the guy and himself. “I prefer chocolate,” he says. The guy smiles. Will’s not sure if he should continue to stand there and try to make conversation or if he should excuse himself. He’s starting to understand what his mom means now by his lack of social interaction.

“Nico!” someone calls before the silence becomes too awkward. A girl with curly hair and bright eyes waves to them. Will glances over at Nico.

“Guess I shouldn’t hold you up,” he says. “Thanks for saving me from death by pumpkin.” Nico smiles, nodding. Will thinks he catches a hint of pink on his cheeks, but it could just be the crisp weather. He watches as Nico walks towards the girl before glancing at the pumpkin he almost smashed. It was oddly shaped, but Will kind of liked that. Gently, he picks it up, inspecting it for any injuries.

“That the one?” Mama asks. Will almost drops the pumpkin before nodding. “I think I found one I like, too.” They pay for the pumpkins, and Will keeps them safe on the ride home.

While his mom gets the next batch of cookies and cakes into the oven, Will stares at the pumpkin. He wanted to do something fun, but he wasn’t sure what yet. His mom’s teased him about the boy he was talking to earlier, and Will has a feeling that she’d been watching.

Will finally decides on a ghost, covering the pumpkin in white and purple paint before going upstairs to write N a letter. He hesitates before leaving the guy at the pumpkin patch out. He wasn’t sure why he was even debating about it. It wasn’t like he was going to see either N or that guy anytime soon. Then while his mom is finishing up the orders, he slips out to the post office.

Today I went to pick out pumpkins, Will writes. I think that was the most fun I’ve had in ages. Sometimes I think that while Lee was the one who died, I’m the one who’s forgotten how to live.  
-  
Nico was finding himself in the coffee shop more and more for some reason. He just felt pulled to it. That, and they had really good croissants. But only on Saturdays. Which was when Nico found himself in the coffee shop most often. The counter was always manned by either the nice lady who had laughed at Nico’s joke or a blond-haired boy.

“Here you go, sweetie,” Naomi says. “Hot chocolate and a croissant.” Nico smiles at her, looking up from where he was writing his letter. He wasn’t sure how many letters he and W had written in the last three weeks, but they had quickly become part of his day. He’d either mail out his own letter or eagerly await W’s.

They were learning small things from each other, and Nico was itching to meet W. But he could feel a sense of hesitancy in W’s letters that stopped him from directly asking. Instead, he sort of subtly fished for details. He had learned that W worked a lot, wasn’t sure about college yet, had lost a brother. Nico found himself offering up more information about himself, not sure if it was because he couldn’t see W face-to-face or just because there was a sense of trust there.

He’d bared his heart to W, and W had responded with nothing but concern and compassion.

Nico and W tended to stray away from more sensitive topics now, but Nico thought he could pick up on an underlying sense of melancholy in the letters. Nico smiles as he thinks about W’s last few letters. They had definitely been happier than the first few. Nico hopes that part of that at least has something to do with him.

Jason thought he could do a handstand, Nico writes. Turns out he can’t. Hazel and I had to convince him that he had not dislocated a lung.

“Will, can you get the cookies?” Naomi calls. The blond-haired boy at the counter closes his book and heads into the back. Nico glances up, wondering if Will’s the same W who writes letters to Nico every other day. He does work in the same coffee shop Nico left the first letter. And he’s always reading. (He’s barely said more than five words to Nico.)

“Naomi,” Nico asks slowly. “Are you doing anything for Halloween?”

Naomi smiles at him. “Probably handing out candy. I’m a bit too old for trick-or-treating.” Nico smiles back. “Though, my son and I also went pumpkin hunting the other day.”

Nico perks up at this, following Naomi’s gaze towards the bookshelf. Nico scans the shelves, looking for a purple and white ghost, and he has to remind himself to breathe normally when he finds it. It’s smaller than he’d imagined, used as a bookend. If he weren’t looking for it, he’d have missed it.

“I love getting pumpkins,” Nico says. He turns back to Naomi, finding her looking at him intently.

“Do you know my son?” she asks. “He’s been rather secretive lately, but he’s almost happier. So I’m a bit hesitant to ask.”

Nico blushes, thinking that maybe he is the reason that W is happier these days. He’s not sure how to answer Naomi’s question. It’s clear that she and her son are close, W always writes about his mom. But he also knows that W hasn’t told his mom about the letters yet.

“You have same look Will does when I asked him,” she says. She goes back to cleaning one of the tables, and Nico thinks the conversation is over. He quickly finishes his letter, licking the envelope. He can drop it off on his way back home. As he’s standing up to leave, Naomi hands him a to-go bag. “Thank you, Nico.”

Nico’s not sure what to think about Naomi’s gift, three more fresh croissants. When he gets the next letter from W, he contemplates outing himself. He has an idea that this would probably freak W (or Will) out more than he intended. It’s funny how close he feels to Will, even though he’s never actually met him. But between the letters and watching him read at the counter, Nico feels a direct connection.

Impulsively, he grabs another sheet of paper, hoping he’s not coming across too eager. He wonders if he should just wait for the next letter from Will, but he’s not sure there will be enough time. Not if he wants to say what he really wants to say.

I know we’ve been writing letters for a bit now, Nico writes. Are you doing anything for Halloween? My sister and I used to dress up just to hand out candy. My favorite part of Halloween was that we could dress up as anything in the world, but I always knew it was Bianca underneath the mask.

Nico pauses, hesitating before writing what he really wants to write. He feels nervous at the possibility of rejection, but he’s also prepared for a yes.

He asks his dad to read over the letter before he mails it. His dad smiles at him, handing him a mug of hot apple cider. It was his mom’s favorite fall drink. “I’m proud of you, Nico.”

Nico smiles. Maybe the letters had started out as a way of helping himself, but maybe they were also there to help Will. Because Nico no longer felt trapped in this world. He had his friends, his dad. And now he had Naomi and Will.

I know this might seem really quick, but I consider you one of my friends now, Nico writes. You’re smart and brave and funny. And I’ve been kind of wanting to meet you. Want to go trick-or-treating with me?  
-  
“Will.” Mama’s voice stirs Will from his thoughts. He’d gotten up early to start making the croissants. His fingers are buttery and cold, but Will doesn’t care. It’s cold outside already. “Sweetie, talk to me.”

Mama makes tea and some breakfast for them while Will continues to fold the dough. He doesn’t make the croissants every week, but he’s gone through the motions and watched his mom enough times to know exactly what to do. And he remembers Lee watching video after video, trying to find the perfect croissant recipe. Usually, this is his mom’s job.

“Did something happen at school?” Mama asks, trying to get Will talking. He used to talk all of the time, rambling like no one’s business. His mom used to tease him for being such a chatterbox, and his old friends always teased him about tuning out.

“Nothing happened, Mama,” Will says. He puts the dough in the fridge again, waiting for it to harden up again so he can fold it a few more times. He’s lost count of the folds, but his hands know. He uses this break to eat a bowl of cereal. It’s five in the morning, and he’s in his pj’s making croissants.

“I don’t love you any less than I did before,” Mama says. “I know I haven’t been the best mother lately, but I want you to know that I’m here for you, too. But if this isn’t working out, please talk to me, Will.”

She’s practically begging him now, and that’s when Will breaks down. He thought he’d gotten rid of all of these feelings. It’d happened so long ago, and yet, Will still felt like it’d all happened yesterday. He’d told N that he was through it, that he was on the other side. But maybe he was just in the eye of the storm. Mama’s arms come to wrap around him, and he cries.

She’s crying, too, he thinks. He doesn’t think he’s cried this hard in years. And it feels really good. Almost as good as going to that pumpkin patch and laughing with a stranger. By the time he’s let it all out, he finally feels ready to open up to his mom. He’s always been strong for her, just like she’s been strong for him. But maybe that’s not what they need.

“I’ve been writing these letters,” Will starts. And he tells her everything, from finding that first letter in the bookshelf to receiving the last one two days ago. “And I don’t know if I’m ready to meet him,” Will finishes.

Mama smiles at him, kissing his forehead. “Do you want to meet him?”

Will nods without even thinking. “I’ve wanted to meet him since that first letter. But I always thought I was writing them for him.” He’d thought about that while he was crying. That maybe while the letters started for N, they were also just as much for him.

“A friendship is a two-way street,” Mama says. “You give a little, you get a little.”

Will nods. He stands back up, washing his face and hands of the butter and flour he’d forgotten about. Then he finishes up the croissants, getting them into the oven. In between customers coming and going, they watch Halloween specials and catch up on school and work.

“I want you to go to college if that’s something you want to do. But if you want to open up your own bookstore or start a book blog, I’m perfectly happy.” Will smiles. He doesn’t know what he’d do if he went to college, but the change of scenery might be nice. He’s lived for so long in the world he created for himself, but that’s not how life was meant to be lived.

He tries to write a letter back to N, but everything just falls short of what he’s trying to say. He’s on his third draft when his mom calls back to grab another batch of croissants. He walks out to heat them up, finding the dark-haired guy from the pumpkin patch.

“Hey,” the guy says. “We never formally introduced ourselves. I’m Nico.”

Will nods, handing Nico the plate of croissants. He watches his mom squirt a generous topping of whipped cream into a mug of hot chocolate.

“I’m Will,” he adds after a moment. Nico smiles, nodding. He glances at the counter, his eyes landing on the book Will was reading yesterday.

“Is that any good? I’ve been meaning to get back into reading, but I haven’t found the right book to start with.”

Will takes a deep breath before nodding. “Well, yeah. It’s pretty good. I mean, if you like fantasy or even magical realism. Because, see, it’s got fairies and dragons, but there are also normal people, I guess. Well, non-magical people. Like the Muggles of this fantasy realm here.” He doesn’t realize he’s rambling until he catches the smile on his mom’s face. “And, yeah.”“Sounds cool. Maybe you could lend it to me when you’re done.”

Will nods, his face heating up. He watches Nico go over to the table by the window. Will’s about to walk into the back to catch up on the Halloween movie he’d been watching when he sees Nico pull out a pad of paper. And then it clicks. N had written about pumpkin patches and croissants. At first, it’d seemed so arbitrary because all of that was in season. But what if it wasn’t?

He steels himself for a moment before walking over to Nico’s table. He can feel his mom watching him, and he has a feeling that she figured this out way before he did. Nico looks up, smiling when Will approaches.

“Um, hey,” Will says. “Do you happen to like trick-or-treating?”

Nico laughs, nodding. “Yeah. Although, I haven’t been in years. Now, I just hand out candy.”

Will nods. “Well, stop me if this sounds stupid, but would you, maybe, want to go trick-or-treating with me?”

He expects Nico to start making excuses or tell Will to go away. But, instead, he smiles. “I thought it was you.” He holds up the piece of paper he’d been writing on. Dear W, it reads. “Is this you? Will?”

Will nods again. “How’d you figure it out?”

Nico snorts. “Well, you’re the only one I see poring through that shelf over there. And then I saw your pumpkin ghost. And while purple ghosts are cool, not everyone has caught onto that fact quite yet.” Will’s pretty sure he’s blushing a bright red right now. Because Nico came in every week. He could have found his pen pal sooner. But maybe things were supposed to be this way. After all, it still worked out.

“So, that’s a yes?” Will asks.

“Yes, Will, I’d love to go trick-or-treating with you.”  
-  
“Dad! Stop!” Nico calls as he hears another click of the camera. “This isn’t prom. No need to have so many pictures.” His dad laughs as the flash goes off.

“Fine. But it’s not every day I get to see my son dressed up as a giant spider.” Nico rolls his eyes. He’d had a week to pull together a Halloween costume, and spiders seemed spooky enough. Will was going as a bumblebee, complete with a headband for the antennae things that cartoon bees always seemed to have.

They finally make it out the door, only a few more clicks following them. They’re in Nico’s neighborhood, and Nico takes Will around to all of the best spots. They don’t talk right away, still settling into this new routine of actually being face to face. They’ve agreed to keep writing letters as they go to different schools and have different schedules, but they also agreed that they wanted to try at this new friendship.

“Do you know what Hazel and Jason are dressing up as?” Will asks. Nico snorts, shaking his head.

“They always come up with the most ridiculous costumes ever, so I’m never able to guess. Jason’s probably a some martian, and Hazel might actually be something normal.” Will smiles, and that’s one thing Nico wishes could be captured on paper. Because Will’s smile is beautiful.

“I’m going to be honest that those googly eyes are actually kind of creepy,” Will says after a few moments. Nico grins. He’d stuck a bunch of eyes to his face to enhance his spider-ness. He shakes his head so the eyes all spin around, and Will shivers. “I’ve never liked spiders much.”

Nico’s glad that this isn’t awkward. After that first meeting, they’d only met up once after school to do some homework together. They hadn’t talked very much, just sipping on their drinks and writing out formulas or outlines for papers. They’d talked about college a little bit, Nico still deciding where he wanted to go, Will still deciding if he wanted to go.

And now they were trick-or-treating together. Hazel had immediately jumped on board with the whole idea, while Jason needed more time to process that Nico had a pen pal.

“And you hadn’t thought to tell us?” Jason asks. “Oh, by the way, guys, I’m communicating with a guy I’ve never met. But we’re going to go knock on doors and beg for candy later.”

Nico had just rolled his eyes. He knew Jason was happy for him, if not a little hurt that he hadn’t told them about Will in the first place. Will hadn’t a secret, but there had been some kind of connection between them that was hard to put into words. And Nico didn’t want his friends to get the wrong idea.

“So, when do we get to meet him?” had been Hazel’s second question. “Are you two going to date? You seem to really like him.”

Nico had shrugged. He didn’t think they were ready to date. They’d just met for real, and Will was still getting used to having friends and not sitting behind a counter all day. And Nico was okay in just reveling in the fact that he had a new friend. They didn’t need to rush to figure out if they were more than friends or if that was even a possibility.

Their last stop of the night is at the coffee shop. Naomi smiles as they come in, asking them to pose for a photo. Then she gets them some croissants and cookies.

“So, is this a coffee shop or a bakery?” Nico asks.

Will laughs. “It’s both, I guess?” He shrugs. They chat with Naomi for a bit before Jason and Hazel show up. Will bursts out laughing when he sees them, and Nico swirls around in the booth.

“What the heck, Jason?”

Jason just shrugs. “I’m a cow.” Nico rolls his eyes. He’s wearing a full-body costume, complete with a tail and udder. It’s a little absurd, but Jason wasn’t one to do things in halves. Hazel, on the other hand, was a cowgirl. She tips her hat towards Nico, smiling at Will.

“You guys make the best croissants ever,” Jason says. “Like, ever.”

Will blushes at this. Jason’s eyes get big as Naomi hands each of them a small to-go bag full of chocolates and a croissant each. Jason doesn’t waste any time in shoving his into his mouth. It flakes all over the place, falling like buttery confetti.

“As I said, amazing.”

Nico’s glad that he has such amazing friends. They make sure to include Will in the conversations and don’t play too many inside jokes. Though, they do go a little overboard in telling embarrassing stories. Like the time Nico somehow locked himself in the bathroom at a gas station. Or the time he’d accidentally run into a mailbox on his bike.

Conversation starts dying off by the time Will starts yawning. Jason’s coming down from his sugar high, and Hazel has to keep nudging him to stay awake. Naomi sends them home with more sweets for the week, promising to have more croissants on Saturday. Then it’s just Will and Nico.

“Um, I had a great time tonight,” Will says.

Nico smiles. “Me, too.” They both nod awkwardly, not sure if they should head in their respective directions or say something else. Nico nods once more before turning to leave.

“Thanks for writing me back,” Will says softly. “And thanks for being my friend.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “I feel like I should be saying that.” Will shrugs. “But, you’re welcome. And don’t forget that it’s your turn. Since you technically didn’t respond to my last letter.”

Will laughs. “I know. I’ll see you around, Nico.” He gives a small wave, and Nico waves back.

When he gets back home, he grabs his laptop to find a Halloween movie to watch. His dad joins him on the couch as he opens up his account, searching for something good. He’s surprised when he gets an email notification. He never gets a lot of emails, and teachers hardly email over breaks. Nico finds himself smiling as he opens the email.

“I’ll go make some popcorn,” his dad says, smiling.

Nico laughs. Will’s written: Are emails technically 21st-century letters? Nico can smell the popcorn butter as he starts to type back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> technically, this is part of the au-ctober fun that's going on :)
> 
> (also, I hope it doesn't come across like Nico's fixed Will - that's not how these things go


	25. snapshots (6)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> snapshots starring a handful of anniversaries with Nico and Will

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part of the auctober prompts again - please go and check out the collections and on tumblr

Will’s fidgeting, and Nico gently takes his hand. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? You know I don't think any less of you if you back out now,” he says. He kisses Will’s lips before Will can answer.

“Just nerves,” Will says. “I can do this. It’s just a little pain, right?”

“Just a little bit,” Nico assures. He kisses Will once more for good measure. “Do you have the sketches?” Will nods, gripping them a bit too hard, but Nico doesn’t comment. He remembers how nervous he was his first time. It doesn’t help that they seemed to have chosen the busiest day to come, so there’s a bit of a wait. Nothing like suspense to start Will’s overthinking.

“Do you want me to go first?” Nico asks. Will shakes his head.

“No, because then I’ll just talk myself out of it. And I really want to do this. But I also just want to skip to the part where it’s already done.” Will scans the rows of magazines laid out for their viewing pleasure, but he doesn’t find anything worthwhile of a distraction.

Nico laughs. They’d been talking about this for some time now, discussing patterns and designs, talking about where it’d hurt the least, the most. Nico had sketched out the designs over and over, wanting them to be perfect. And then they’d set a date.

“It’s going to be okay. I’ll be right there, and you can squeeze my hand as hard as you want. And even cry if you need,” Nico says softly. Will nods, munching on a granola bar. He’d been too nervous to eat anything too substantial, but Nico wasn’t about to have Will pass out on him.

“Di Angelo?” a male voice calls. Nico smiles. He holds Will’s hand as they walk back into the main part of the parlor. Every inch of the walls is decorated with designs and patterns and words in fancy scripts. Will’s eyes glide over them, and he pauses right in front of the cushioned chair. “Who’s up first?”

“Um, me,” Will says. Slowly, he peels off his shirt while the man goes over the procedures and safety guidelines. Nico takes a moment to appreciate his shirtless boyfriend before tuning back in. Will takes his time reading over the papers before he signs them. Nico signs his own, kissing Will’s cheek.

“No swimming this week,” Will says. Nico nods. Will lays down on his stomach, shifting until he’s comfortable. Nico can see him shiver as they place the stencil over a small square of Will’s back. Nico’s gotten tattoos before, but he hasn’t watched someone get one before. He always felt weird watching other people getting inked. But he’s free to watch Will.

“How’s that?” the tattoo artist says. Will sits up to look in the mirror, smiling.

“Yeah, I really like that.” Nico smiles, too. Will’s already gorgeous, but there’s something about that small tattoo on his shoulder that makes him somehow even more attractive. Will lays back down, gripping Nico’s hand. Will winces as they poke him with the needle.

“Is that okay? That’s going to be the worst of it.” Will glances at Nico before nodding. Nico brushes his fingers through Will’s hair as he tenses up. He doesn’t like seeing Will in pain, even if it’s something like this. And his fingers are already halfway to falling asleep with how hard Will’s gripping them.

The whole thing takes about forty-five minutes, and Will breathes out a sigh of relief when the buzzing sound fades. Nico smiles at him. “The worst part is over now,” he says. Will nods.

“How’s it look?” Nico catches a good glimpse before the tattoo is washed.“It looks amazing.” Will grins. He moves his shoulder, wincing a little. “Soon, you’ll be complaining about it being itchy.”Will cracks a smile at this. “I have to pee. Wait for me, yeah?”

Nico nods. He gets the stencil part done, smiling when Will comes back. “Good?” Will nods. Nico winces when the first several pinpricks of pain come, but he quickly falls into the calm of Will’s chattering. He traces out Will’s freckles, smiling when Will feeds him a piece of his granola bar.

“I never thought that it would bleed,” Will says softly. Nico hums. After the idea had been brought up, Will had done a lot of research on tattoos, what the standard procedures were, what things aged well, any side effects. He’d read the post-care manual at least four times, probably memorized it. But that was something Nico loved about Will. The way he cared about stuff like that.

“Yours did, too,” Nico says. Will hums.

“I can’t believe I actually just did this,” he says, laughing. Nico grins.

“And you were so brave.” It’s said without a hint of condescension, and Will’s smile widens.

Soon enough, Nico’s tattoo is also finished. After it’s washed, they stand in front of the mirror, their shoulders touching. Will laughs, a dopey smile on his face. He leans over and kisses Nico on the lips. Nico catches his eyes getting a little wet.

“Happy anniversary, sunshine,” Nico says. He gently traces the sunflower on his own shoulder, a perfect copy of the one on Will’s. “I like this a lot better than promise rings.”

Will huffs. “Well, you’re getting a ring one of these days.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “I’m counting on it.”  
-  
Nico rushes into the shop, a bit frazzled after checking his calendar last-minute. He wasn’t usually this bad at remembering dates, but he’d had such a busy week that he’d forgotten. And now he felt like the worst boyfriend and best friend ever.

“May I help you?” a friendly lady asks. She’s currently drawing on her jeans with a purple pen, and Nico hopes she solves his problem really quickly.

“Yeah, I’m looking for flowers. For my boyfriend. It’s our anniversary, and I’ve completely forgotten. Like, I have nothing at all planned.”

The lady smiles at him, capping her pen. She peers around the store while Nico mentally calculates how much time he has. Will was working the later shift today which was partially why Nico had forgotten about the date. They’d decided that they would do something bigger over the weekend, but Nico still really wanted to do something special today.

Even if that was something like breakfast for dinner and attempting to watch a movie but really just falling asleep on the couch. Hey, they had both been absurdly busy lately. In fact, it was either Will worked the late shift tonight or work the entire weekend. So they took what they could get.

“Um, sir?” Nico zones back in. “We’ve got some nice selections back here. Were you thinking of making your own bouquet or choosing from a pre-arranged one?”

“Maybe making my own, I think. I’m just kind of stressed right now.”He’s on his lunch break because he won’t have time after work. Because after work, he’s got to get groceries and finish up some work stuff so they can do stuff over the weekend. (When they’re not too busy sleeping.) And then Will’ll be home.

“Take a deep breath. We just got a bunch of fresh stuff this morning, so anything you pick out will be great.” Nico takes a few deep breaths, nodding. “How many years have you two been together?”

“Um, five,” Nico says. The lady smiles.

“Thinking about a ring anytime soon?” Nico blushes. The lady smiles wider. “No pressure, but we do offer a package for just that thing.”

Nico sighs. “I’m way too frazzled to even think about that right now.”

The lady nods. “Of course. Maybe just keep that in mind for later.” She walks to the other side of the store, and Nico has to catch his breath. The flowers over here are beautiful and so vibrant. Since he and Will don’t know anything about flower language, he’s not nervous about picking out the wrong meanings.

“So, you can go about choosing by color or maybe type. Have anything in mind?”

Nico scans the options. “Something yellow. And pink. And then blue,” he says. He knows those are Will’s favorite colors. The lady nods, humming to herself as she grabs some flowers. Nico follows her as she walks around the store, holding them up to other flowers. He keeps checking the clock as she gathers up a nice bouquet.

“How’s this? We can choose a vase or a ribbon. Some tissue paper. How soon will you be putting them in water?” Nico never knew there were so many options when it came to presenting flowers. The lady tells him the names and meanings of the flowers she’s chosen, and Nico forgets them immediately. All that matters is that the bouquet looks beautiful, and he’s sure Will’ll love them.

He thanks the lady profusely, checking his watch. If he manages to catch the bus, he’ll be back with two minutes to spare. He’s so occupied with getting to the bus that he rams right into a startlingly familiar chest on the way out the door.“Nico?!” comes Will’s voice.

“Um, happy anniversary!” Nico squeaks, shoving his freshly made bouquet at Will’s chest again. It’s slightly crushed from the first collision, but Will’s smile is beautiful as he brings his nose to the flowers.“I love them, darling.” He leans down to kiss Nico’s nose, and Nico hears the lady at the desk cooing. He blushes, leaning up to kiss Will.

“I guess we had the same idea, huh?” Will laughs, rolling his eyes.

“Since I’m here, want a ride back to work?” Nico snorts, but he accepts the offer. As he gets out of the car, Will hands him a single flower.

“Happy anniversary, Nico.”  
-  
This wasn’t quite how Nico pictured spending his and Will’s anniversary, but they’d definitely had worse experiences. Including spending the night in a hospital, babysitting the neighbor’s snake, and getting lost in the woods. Still, this setting was far from what Nico had been picturing only a handful of hours ago.

The whole mess had started the moment Nico walked through the front door. He’d been planning on starting dinner while Will relaxed, but Will was definitely not relaxed when he got home.

“I swear I didn’t do it!” Will calls as Nico walks further into the house. He’s not quite sure what Will’s talking about, but he is sure he doesn’t want to know. Will sounds vaguely panicked, and he definitely looks the part when he pops his head around the corner. His shirt is soaked, and his hair is sticking up.

“What happened?” Nico asks, setting his stuff on the counter. Will doesn’t so much answer as he just sighs.

“I don’t really know,” he says after a moment. “But the washing machine kind of exploded. And there’s water everywhere. I managed to get most things off the floor. Also, all of our towels are soaked already.”

At this, Nico notices that several drawers in the kitchen are open and empty. Will must also have included the dish towels. Nodding, Nico moves over to where their laundry room is. Or was. It looks more like those splash parks that little kids can play in, complete with sudsy bubbles and a heap of towels.

“So, it just exploded?”

Will nods slowly. “Well, it was making this thumping noise. So I went to check on it. And then the locked clicked off, and everything just kind of happened.”

“What were you washing?” Nico asks.“About five shirts and a pair of jeans,” Will says. “Nothing that was super heavy or anything. And anyway, it doesn’t matter because the washing machine is currently unresponsive.” He gestures to the control panel which is usually faintly lit.

“Well, that’s great,” Nico says. Their dryer had given up recently, but that wasn’t as much of a problem. They had a small balcony away from the street and neighbors that they could dry their clothes on. By the time the colder months came around, they would have saved up enough to get a new one. But the washer also giving out was kind of a problem. They didn’t really have time to hand wash everything.

Not to mention the current mess.

“I was kind of hoping you’d know what to do,” Will says. Nico just sighs.

Which is how they found themselves down the street at the laundromat. Neither of them had been in this one before. Since moving into their new apartment, they’d proudly inherited Nico’s parent’s washing and dryer set. In retrospect, maybe the fact that it would give out in three years was why it was such a great gift.

While their clothes were drying, they took turns mopping up the water on the floor. Getting the water up wasn’t all that hard. The hard part was that the washer had kicked the bucket halfway through its cycle, meaning it had also spewed soap all over the floor. Meaning when Nico scrubbed the floor, it just got sudsier.

“You know, we might as well just get our laundry done,” Will had said on his third trip over. Nico had agreed. Their anniversary plans were long-gone now. They might as well check one thing off of their list. They took up four machines, hoping that Tuesday wasn’t a high-traffic laundry night.

Eventually, the floor was cleaner than it’d ever been, and Nico and Will were exhausted. “Is it okay to ask for a washer and dryer for Christmas?” Will asks. “Like, I don’t care if we don’t get anything else. Just all of our family chipping in to get us a functioning set.”

Nico snorts. “Don’t go giving away my Christmas presents, Solace.” He leans his head on Will’s shoulder. “But we do need to figure that out. Since I feel like we could buy one just from all of that laundry and gas money we just deposited.”

Will hums. “This is our last load, right?” He yawns. “I’ll figure out dinner if you bring this stuff back.”

Nico nods. He’s too tired to argue with Will right now. He’s secretly hoping Will’ll just pick up something on his way home. It’s the end of the month. They’ll rework their budget later. Right now, he just wants his fingers to stop feeling pruny and to get out of this laundromat.

When the machines finally finish, Nico loads them up in the car. He’s tempted to grab a soda from the vending machine, but he knows they have soda at home. He’s greeted with piles of folded laundry sorted everywhere. Somehow, they’d left everything to be washed tonight. And maybe that’s why the washer quit.

“Will?” Nico calls. He dumps the basket on the kitchen table, not really caring at this point. If he has wrinkly clothes, he’ll have wrinkly clothes.

He finds Will on the couch, curled up under a blanket. Nico smiles, gently shaking Will’s shoulder. “Wake up, sunshine. I’m hungry.”

Will huffs as he opens his eyes. He sits up, pointing at the takeout boxes on the coffee table. “I know I’m the best,” he mumbles as Nico digs in. They fall into a comfortable silence, the entire apartment smelling like laundry detergent and fabric softener.

“I don’t even remember what we actually had planned for this evening,” Will says.

Nico laughs. “I don’t really either. Something probably involving dinner. Did we have reservations?”

Will shakes his head. “I don’t think so. They’d have called us, right?” Nico shrugs. They didn’t make reservations often enough to know.

“If I fall asleep here, will you carry me to bed?”

“No.” Nico huffs, softly punching Will’s arm. They’ve finished off their dinner, and Will’s yawning again. It’s a little early to be going to bed, but they’ve both got early mornings. They force themselves to get off the couch, throwing their boxes away. Will peels off his pants, collapsing on the bed.

“Do I have to brush my teeth?” he mumbles.

Nico laughs. “Only if you don’t want cavities.” Will thinks about it for a moment before making a grabby motion towards Nico. Nico rolls his eyes, but he hands Will a toothbrush, toothpaste included. He grumbles as he gets up to spit, and Nico kisses his cheek.

Eventually, they get settled into bed, Will’s head resting on Nico’s shoulder. “I love you, Will. Even if you wish away my Christmas presents for a washer.”

Will snorts. “Talk to me after you’ve hand-washed all of our clothes.” Nico smiles, pressing a kiss to Will’s hair.

“I don’t know. I kind of liked the laundromat.” Nico can practically see Will rolling his eyes.

“Yeah? Wanna do it again next week?” Will asks. “Minus the washer exploding.”

Nico hums. “Next week, sunshine.” He pulls the blanket up more. “Happy anniversary, Will. Sweet dreams.”

“G’night, Nico.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still accepting prompts :)

**Author's Note:**

> comments are appreciated :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Braiding Hair](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15578001) by [faesimbrotos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/faesimbrotos/pseuds/faesimbrotos)




End file.
